Ankara to continue supporting Doha
ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that countries which have pledged to take back the weapons they supplied to the predominately Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria were trying to trick Turkey and would eventually realize their mistake.
Ankara was infuriated by a US decision last month to arm the YPG, which Washington sees as a vital ally in the battle against Daesh in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. Turkey, however, deems YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PUK).
The PKK, designated a terrorist group by the US, the EU and Turkey, has been waging an insurgency in southeastern Turkey since the 1980s.
Turkish Defense Ministry sources said on Thursday the US had pledged that weapons provided to the YPG would be taken back once Daesh was defeated.
However Erdogan, addressing members of his ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, in a speech marking the start of the Eid holiday, appeared to dismiss those assurances, saying Turkey’s friends and allies were cooperating with terrorists.
“The ones who think they are tricking Turkey by saying they are going to get back the weapons that are being given to this terrorist organization will realize that they are making a mistake eventually,” he said.
“But it will be too late for them,” he added, saying that if violence spilled over Syria’s border into Turkey, Ankara would hold to account anyone who supplied arms to the YPG.
“We will make the real owners of those weapons... pay for any bullet that will be fired to our country, for every drop of blood that will be shed,” he said.
US President Donald Trump decided to arm the YPG fighters, who form a main part of the US-backed force fighting Daesh inside Raqqa, despite protests from NATO ally Ankara and a direct appeal from Erdogan at a White House meeting last month.
Erdogan said the decision contravened the military alliance’s framework of cooperation.
Faced with turmoil across its southern border, Turkey last year sent troops into Syria to support Syrian opposition fighting both Daesh and Kurdish forces who control a large part of Syria’s northern border region.
“I want all the world to know that in northern Syria, on our border, we are never going to allow a terrorist state to be established,” Erdogan said.
Support to Doha
In another development, Turkey’s president rejected a demand by major Arab states to remove Turkish troops from Qatar, saying their sweeping list of ultimatums threatens the Gulf country’s sovereignty.
“Demanding that Turkey pull its soldiers is unfortunately also disrespectful toward Turkey,” he said.
He said Turkey would continue to support Qatar against the many sanctions it has faced since several Arab countries moved earlier this month to isolate the country for its alleged support of terrorism.
In a sign of support, the Turkish Parliament swiftly ratified a 2014 military agreement with Qatar earlier this month, allowing the deployment of troops to its base there. The military said a contingent of 23 soldiers reached Doha on Thursday. Turkey has also shipped to Qatar supplies and food via cargo planes.
Erdogan said he made a similar offer to Saudi Arabia to set up a base there in the past but did not hear back from the king.
Saudi Arabia said last week that a Turkish military base similar to that built in Qatar would not be welcome in the Kingdom, stressing it is “not needed.”
“The Kingdom cannot allow Turkey to set up a military base on its territory,” said a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The statement, quoting an official source, said Saudi Arabia has no need for this, adding that its armed forces and military capabilities are “at the best level.”