Istanbul / Washington: There are indications of deterioration of the US-Turkey relations in view of the issue of the campaign undertaken by Turkey in Syria. As the United States has not made any changes to its stance, the Turkey leadership has become extremely upset and has warned the United States, to either take steps to improve the relations or severe them completely. Turkey issued this clear warning during the US National Security Advisor’s Turkey visit.
Turkey has undertaken the ‘Operation Olive Branch’ campaign in the northern parts of ‘Afrin’ and ‘Manjib’ in Syria. There is an imminent danger to Turkey from the Kurds in Syria. Turkey started this operation on the pretext of the Kurds being associated with the Kurdish terrorist organisation ‘PKK’. Turkey justified the operation saying that the Kurds in Syria also are terrorists, just like the ‘PKK’. Turkey has claimed to have killed more than 1300 terrorists in this operation till date.
There are more than 2000 soldiers deployed in Syria as a part of anti-IS operations since the past few years. The United States has taken help from the Kurds for the anti-IS operations and has accepted that the Kurd organisations were a major contributor in the defeat of the IS. At that time the United States has provided the Kurds with ammunition and other help.
Turkish President, Recep Erdogan, has expressed displeasure over the US-Kurd relations and has repeatedly asked the United States to stop the aid. The Turkish leaders have repeatedly alleged that the United States, fighting against the IS and other terrorist organisations, is applying double standards to the Kurdish issue. While there are verbal volleys from both the countries in the subject, the Turkish campaign started last month is like adding fuel to fire.
The area, where the Turkish operation is on, has US troops and the United States has sent right signals to Turkey about this. But, Turkey has intensified this operation ignoring the – message given by the United States. The relations between the two countries have been deteriorating ever since and even ‘NATO’ had expressed concern over it. The statement by the Turkish Foreign Minister also confirms that the relations between the two countries are on the verge of breaking.
‘The US-Turkey relations are at the final stage. They can either be improved or broken forever. The United States needs to take a correct decision in Manjib.’ said the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, warning the United States. This warning becomes important as it is issued during the visit of the US ‘National Security Advisor’ H.R. McMaster’s to Turkey. Sources informed that H.R. McMaster met the Special Advisor to Turkish President, and Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin on Sunday.
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