‘Stay out of it,’ Erdogan tells Macron after Syria mediation offer

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to mind his own business after the latter offered to act as a mediator between Turkey and Syrian Kurdish fighters that Ankara sees as terrorists.

“Don't get into things that are out of your depth. We don't need a mediator. Since when is Turkey concerned with sitting at the same table with terrorist organizations?” Erdogan thundered during a speech in Ankara.

He accused Macron of overstepping "his limits" and going "over his head," adding that Turkey would never negotiate with "terrorists."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, March 30, 2018. /VCG Photo

Erdogan was speaking after Macron met members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Paris on Thursday, pledged French support to the group, and suggested that Turkey could establish dialogue with the group with Paris' help.

The backbone of the SDF is the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara has targeted over its ties with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Turkey, blacklisted as a terror group.

"Those who go to bed with terrorists, or even host them in their palaces, will sooner or later understand the mistake they're making," Erdogan said Friday, adding he was “extraordinarily saddened” by France’s attitude. “We believe (they) are completely wrong,” he added.

Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) take control of northwestern Syria's Afrin as part of "Operation Olive Branch", March 25, 2018. /VCG Photo

Referring to recent terror attacks in France, he went on: "After this stance, it (France) no longer had the right to complain about terror organizations, terrorists and terror attacks."

Erdogan’s remarks are likely to further fuel tension with France, which has expressed clear concerns over an ongoing Turkish military operation in northern Syria.

Ankara launched in January an operation against the YPG in its western enclave of Afrin in Syria. On March 18, Turkish troops supporting Syrian rebels drove the YPG out of Afrin city.

Both France and the United States have worked closely with YPG fighters in the battle against ISIL jihadists in Syria.

Syrians displaced from the city of Afrin arrive with their belongings in the northern Syrian town of Tal Rifaat, March 28, 2018. /VCG Photo

During Thursday's talks, Macron acknowledged the "role of the SDF in the fight against Daesh," the Elysee said using an Arabic acronym for ISIL.

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin however insisted on Twitter that Turkey rejected "any efforts to promote 'dialogue', 'contact' or 'mediation' between Ankara and those terrorist organizations."

"The countries we consider friends and allies must take a clear stand against all forms of terrorism," he added. "The various names and disguises cannot hide the true identity of the terrorist organization."

Source(s): AP ,AFP