By Hurriyet Daily News
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan slammed France after President Emmanuel Macron offered to mediate between Turkey and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), calling on Paris to “know your place” on March 30.
“We do not need a mediator. Since when has Turkey been sitting at a table with terrorist organizations? Where did you get this from? You can sit at the table with terrorist organizations. But Turkey fights against terrorist organizations in places like Afrin [in Syria],” Erdoğan said.
Presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın also firmly rejected Macron’s bid to mediate between the Turkish government and the SDF while calling on Paris to take a clear stance against all of forms of terror.
“Turkey’s position on the PKK/PYD/YPG [outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party/Democratic Union Party/People’s Protection Units], which seeks to legitimize itself as the SDF, is perfectly clear. We reject any efforts to promote ‘dialogue,’ ‘contact’ or ‘mediation’ between Turkey and those terrorist organizations,” İbrahim Kalın, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said through his Twitter account early on March 30.
Turkey has been fighting against the PYD and its armed wing, the YPG, in the northwestern Syria enclave of Afrin, as it considers them the Syrian offshoots of the PKK.
France’s support for the SDF constitutes clear cooperation and solidarity with terror groups working to harm Turkey, Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesperson Bekir Bozdağ said.
The statement on supporting the SDF actually means “open support for terrorism, terror groups, and terrorists; an attempt to legalize terrorist groups; and clear cooperation and solidarity with the terror groups attacking Turkey,” Bozdağ also said on his official Twitter account.
He also stated Turkey is determined to fight terrorist groups, adding that those who forge friendship with such groups will lose Turkey’s friendship.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on March 30 that France’s high-level meeting with the SDF shows the country’s ‘double standard’ on terrorist groups.
Turkey’s statements followed a meeting between Macron and a Syrian Kurdish delegation allegedly representing the SDF at the Elysée on March 29.
A statement issued by the Elysée after the talks underlined the continued support of the French government to the Syrian Kurdish groups that have been fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). It also suggested Paris’ intention to create an environment of dialogue between the Turkish government and the SDF.
“Instead of taking steps, which could be construed as legitimizing terrorist organizations, the countries we consider friends and allies must take a clear stand against all forms of terrorism. The various names and disguises cannot hide the true identity of the terrorist organization,” Kalın replied to the Elysée.
In the meantime, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu spoke with his French counterpart Jean Yves Le Drian over the phone following Macron’s meeting with the representatives of the Syrian Kurdish groups.
France has been gradually augmenting its opposition against the Turkish military’s operation into Afrin with calls on Ankara to limit its scope and duration.
Turkey will host a tripartite summit on Syria next week with the participation of Russia and Iran.
