Moscow expects US to close safe zone in northern Syria

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

Moscow expects the United States to close its unilaterally established zone of de-escalation in northern Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Euronews on Friday, without giving a timeframe.

From the very beginning of the U.S. presence in Syria, the Americans have relied on the PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist group by Turkey and a number of other countries, he said.

Despite numerous protests from Ankara, the U.S. has supplied the PKK with weapons and then announced the establishment of certain “border forces” which mainly consist of Kurds to provide security on the Syria-Turkish border. After that, Turkey put into action its warnings [through Operation Olive Branch], he said.

To game play with the Kurdish issue, as the U.S. is doing, with only a narrow understanding of its geopolitical implications is very dangerous and can lead to major trouble in other countries where Kurds live, he said.

It is necessary to think about how to ensure equal rights for Kurds within the current borders of the countries in which they are located and not to incite them to separatism, Lavrov concluded.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to clear PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin in northern Syria.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as to protect Syrians from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.

The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defense rights under the UN Charter and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.

The Turkish military also said only terror targets were being destroyed and the "utmost care and sensitivity" were being used to not harm civilians.