Turkish Pres. US VP meet on bilateral regional issues
Date
1/24/2016 3:42:56 AM
(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ISTANBUL Jan 23 (KUNA) -- US Vice President Joe Biden concluded his visit to Turkey with a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Saturday.The meeting reviewed a range of bilateral and regional issues with emphasis on the Syria Iraq and the combat against terrorism.During the meeting President Erdogan thanked the US Administration for supporting Turkey in the combat against terrorist organizations Turkey's Anadolu Agency (AA) reported citing presidential sources.He noted that Turkey has offered all forms of support to the US-led coalition against the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Daesh) since the very beginning.Turkey takes part actively in the military campaigns against the ISIL in Syria and Iraq he said noting that the Turkish troops stationed in Bashiqa camp near Mosul city north Iraq do a great job in training the local forces fighting ISIL.On his part Biden reiterated the US support to Turkey in the fight against terrorism in the wake of the bombings in Istanbul and Diyarbakir.There is no difference between Daesh Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Al-Nusra Front he said at a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at Dolmabahce Palace."They are simply terrorist groups and here in Turkey they threaten and do harm and are of severe consequence to the interest of the people of Turkey and we do recognize that" he affirmed.Biden reiterated that Turkey is "a strategic partner" of the US that has taken "very important" steps to improve security. Daesh was not only a danger to Europe but more particularly to Turkey he added. The PKK was as much a threat as Daesh Biden added noting that the vast majority of Kurds wanted to live in peace but that the PKK had shown no desire or inclination to do so.Meanwhile Davutoglu shared Biden's view that terrorism poses a threat not only to Turkey but to all neighboring countries as well. "Whichever ethnicity terrorism is coming from it is a humanitarian crime. We do not see any difference between PKK Al-Nusra DHKP-C (far-left terrorist organization in Turkey) Daesh" said Davutoglu."Turkey sees three threats in Syria - one is the regime another is Daesh and third is the YPG" said Davutoglu adding that the YPG (Kurdish People's Protection Units) was part of the terrorist organization PKK.The Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD is the Syrian affiliate of the PKK which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey the EU and the US.Davutoglu said that Turkey did not want to see either Daesh or PKK elements near its borders. He added said the PKK presence in Iraq required that Turkey bring fight to the PKK and Daesh in the region. (end) ta.gb
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