Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
03 December 2019•Update: 03 December 2019
LONDON
Turkey’s president Tuesday afternoon gathered with the leaders of France, Germany, and the U.K. in London ahead of a NATO summit.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meeting with his counterparts started at around 3 pm (1500GMT) local time and is expected to last slightly over an hour.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, both in London for the NATO summit, alongside host British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, met Erdogan at 10 Downing Street, the prime ministerial residence.
“Developments regarding our Operation Peace Spring will be evaluated,” Erdogan said earlier, referring to Turkey’s anti-terrorist operation in northern Syria launched in October.
“Since these countries are among the coalition forces, we will discuss the extent they have fulfilled their duties within this coalition and how they can support the plans and projects we prepared," he added.
"We'll also get the chance to listen to their expectations from us, and I hope we will have completed the meeting in good faith,” he said.
Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
Under two separate deals with the U.S. and Russia, Turkey paused the operation to allow the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the planned Syria safe zone.
Ankara wants YPG/PKK terrorists to withdraw from the region so a safe zone can be created to pave the way for the safe return of some 2 million refugees.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
Erdogan will also attend two separate receptions to meet all NATO leaders on Tuesday evening. The receptions will be held at Buckingham Palace by Queen Elizabeth and later at 10 Downing Street by Prime Minister Johnson.
