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Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
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| Information | | |
Derechos | Equipo Nizkor
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24Oct14
Turkey-U.S. rift grows over IS-sieged Syrian town
Turkey's reservation in helping the Kurdish populated Syrian town of Ayn al-Arab, also known as Kobane, and the U.S. unilateral action to arm Kurds have strained bilateral ties, triggering a harsh verbal exchange between Ankara and Washington.
"It seems that there are more disagreements than agreements between Turkey and the United States," Turkish analyst Emre Uslu said, describing the trading of accusation between the two as "a tug of war."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not hide his frustration when the United States air dropped weapons and other supplies on Sunday to a Kurdish group defending the town of Kobane, which has been under siege by Islamic State (IS) militants for weeks.
Erdogan told U.S. President Barack Obama that the Syrian Kurdish group, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), includes leaders of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
"I have told him (Obama) that the PYD and the PKK are the same. Therefore, assistance to the PYD goes to the terrorist group (the PKK)," Erdogan said.
Obama had called Erdogan to notify him about the U.S. intention to air drop aid to the PYD. On Sunday, the U.S. military dropped the aid to the PYD in Kobane via the territory of the Kurdistan Regional Government, a move interpreted as Turkey being sidelined by the United States.
"Erdogan's tough talk comes at a time when NATO allies are greatly disappointed with Turkey's performance regarding the fight against IS and terrorism in general," Turkish analyst Cengiz Aktar said.
"These countries nurture serious doubts about Turkey's tolerance towards IS members, including its IS-affiliated citizens, " he added.
David Cohen, U.S. Treasury Department's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said on Thursday that "IS was selling oil at substantially discounted prices to a variety of middlemen, including some from Turkey, who then transport the oil to be resold."
The Turkish government denied that no oil was sold to Turkey. Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said last month that Turkey was not involved in oil trade with the IS, saying that such allegations are part of an attempt to undermine Turkey's international reputation.
Washington has also made it clear that it takes a different view of the PYD than that of Turkey.
U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Friday that the PKK is a terrorist group, but the PYD is not. She recalled that both President Obama and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had exchanged views on the topic with their Turkish counterparts, saying the air supply was part of the efforts to fight the IS that has been attacking Kobane.
Psaki's comments followed her deputy Marie Harf's strong rejection of Erdogan's criticism on the United States. When asked whether she agrees with Erdogan on calling the aid to Kurdish forces "wrong," Harf said "not at all" during the daily press conference on Wednesday.
"In his call with President Erdogan on Saturday, President Obama made very clear why we consider it urgent and essential to re-supply the fighters in Kobane who are in a desperate situation. They are responding to repeated IS attacks on their city," Harf said, also underlining that the PYD is not considered as a terrorist organization under U.S. law.
Turkey and the United States are at odds over the former's reluctance to allow the U.S.-led coalition to use Incirlik Air Base in Turkey's south that is close to targets in Iraq and Syria.
However, Turkey has bowed U.S. pressure on allowing the Kurdish forces from the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government to transit via Turkish territory for destination in Kobane.
On Friday six Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units, who were seriously injured in clashes in Kobane, died after being treated in Turkey. They were brought from Kobane to Turkey through Mursitpinar border crossing late Thursday.
Turkey's reversal means the United States overruled its concerns on arms supply to Kurdish elements in Kobane and sending additional Kurdish fighters there. It also meant that Turkey's argument that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be ousted from power was pushed to the back burner as the United States and its western allies have made it clear that the priority is to battle with the IS.
"It once again became clear during the Kobane crisis that the government does not have a realistic and operational Syria policy, " Turkish expert Cafer Solgun said.
[Source: Xinhua, Ankara, 24Oct14]
 | This document has been published on 27Oct14 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. |