MIDEAST-CRISIS/ERDOGAN-HOLLANDE Too much focus on Kobani in anti-IS campaign, Turkey's Erdogan says

Record ID: 217770

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/ERDOGAN-HOLLANDE Too much focus on Kobani in anti-IS campaign, Turkey's Erdogan says
  • Date: 31st October 2014
  • Summary: HOLLANDE AND ERDOGAN SHAKING HANDS, GOING INSIDE VARIOUS OF HOLLANDE AND ERDOGAN HOLDING MEETING ON TERRACE FLAGS FLYING AT ELYSEE (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRESIDENT, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, SAYING: "I think I ought to stress one important thing, and that's Kobani. Why Kobani? And why not other towns like Ibib, Hama or Homs, or why not even Deir al-Zor? Why not Iraqi territor
  • Embargoed: 15th November 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ISNKK1T0VD9WHWGHQX8OS3DW
  • Story Text: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday (October 31) he believed that the coalition combating Islamic State militants was focusing too much on the Syrian town of Kobani near the Turkish border and should turn its attention to other areas.
    "Why Kobani? And why not other towns like Ibib, Hama or Homs, or why not even Deir al-Zor? Why not Iraqi territory, 40 percent of which is occupied? Why aren't we envisaging an intervention in these provinces and why are we envisaging an intervention in Kobani?" Erdogan told a news conference in Paris after talks with President Francois Hollande.
    "In Kobani at the moment there is almost no one left, there are only 2,000 people. Why constantly attack the town of Kobani? It's difficult to understand that approach. That's why I wondered why the coalition forces haven't wanted to operate in other Syrian territories. Why has there not been another reaction to Daesh (Islamic State) in other territories?" Erdogan said.
    Hollande echoed Erdogan's comments, saying France was "taking steps to support the Free Syrian Army and the democratic opposition" in their fight against Islamic State.
    France, earlier on Friday, welcomed the resignation of Burkina Faso's president Blaise Compaore after days of street protests against his bid to seek a new mandate.
    Hollande said France was seeking to appease the situation in the west African nations, where the parliament has been dissolved and a transitional government put in place.
    "So for the links that we have with Burkina Faso, for the stability of the region, France is working to pacify the situation. And I'm sure that in the coming hours President Compaore will make the right decision to achieve that, this pacification which is necessary," he said.
    Hollande also confirmed there were no victims after a fire broke out at France's public radio headquarters which forced live programmes off the air as staff evacuated the vast Paris complex where major building work has been underway.
    "When I was with President Erdogan I learnt that an extremely serious fire was taking place at the Maison de la Radio. Fortunately we have not counted any victims, we managed to evacuate everyone. The civil authorities are intervening as we speak and we don't yet know the extent of the damage but it seems extensive. The government and everyone concerned is working hard and we hope to put an end to the fire at the end of the day," he said.
    A fire brigade spokesman said that the fire broke out in a part of the complex where no staff were present because of renovation work that in part concerned eradication of asbestos.
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