Erdogan accuses the US of seeking to topple the ruling AKP

North-Press Agency

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused the United States of trying to topple The Justice and Development, the ruling party (AKP) in Turkey.

Erdogan made threats during a meeting at the headquarters of the Turkish Justice and Development Party in Ankara on what he called “the destruction of the terrorist passage along the borders with the east of Euphrates.”

Erdogan wondered about the military support been provided to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the east of the Euphrates, saying: “If we were to ask who provides the most support for the SDF, we would find out that they are our strategic partner,” referring to the United States, while he added; “Didn’t they send weapons, ammunition and everything by tens of thousands of trucks? Yes, they did, their chief goal now is how to overthrow the AKP, but they will not manage to do that.”

The United States Special Representative to Syria, Amb. James Jeffrey said at a congressional hearing in late May: “We are trying to play a leading role of compromise and convince the (SDF) and Turkey not to escalate, we take into account the Turks’ concerns, but also, we will maintain the security of our partners.”

As for the safe zone, Jeffrey said; “We are trying to establish a safe zone that we have not determined its dimensions yet, but the local forces will supervise it, Turkey will have control points, and America will have a word”.

He also told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper in early May that the safe zone would be “along the Syrian-Turkish borders east of the Euphrates”, clarifying that the United States has its own opinion and Turkey has its own.

He added, “We are still in talks about how to provide Turkish-American security and presence in the region, such things are being negotiated, and we have made a great advance and we aspire to go even further and reach a final agreement as soon as possible”.