Erdogan reveals about intelligence negotiations with Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that National Intelligence Organization is carrying out negotiations with Syria.
“Our National Intelligence Organization is carrying out negotiations about Damascus and we will define our roadmap according to the outcomes of the talks,” Erdogan said.
This came in a televised interview in which Erdogan revealed Ankara’s intention to achieve reconciliations between Syrian government and opposition.
In response to a question raised about whether the potential Turkish operation against Syria’s north is on the agenda of the talks, Erdogan said that Syria should also have a positive approach to this, in order to get results.
Erdogan has announced plans to carry out another major military cross-border incursion into northern Syria. Erdogan specified his targets in the two northern Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat.
On July 1, Erdogan said that Ankara’s new military operation in northern Syria could begin at any moment.
“I always say that we can start [the incursion] at any moment at night. We should not worry and rush, especially since we are working in the area,” Erdogan told reporters after returning from the NATO summit in Madrid.
Erdogan also called for the US and Russia to implement ceasefire agreements and said that the agreements did not achieve their goals.
Following the Turkish “Peace Spring” military operation in October 2019, which resulted in the occupation of the two cities of Tel Abyad, north of Raqqa, and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), north of Hasakah, Turkey signed two ceasefire agreements, one with Russia and the other with the US.
The agreements stipulate halt of all hostilities there and the withdrawal of the SDF 30 km in depth away from the Turkish border in addition to conducting Turkish-Russian joint patrols in order to monitor the implementation of the agreements.