US backs down on sanctions as Turkey agrees to ceasefire in Syria
Erdogan calls a halt to offensive after meeting Pence and Pompeo but won’t withdraw his fighters
THE US yesterday announced a 120hour ceasefire by Turkey in north-eastern Syria to allow Kurdish fighters to withdraw from the region, in an apparent endorsement of the aims of the Turkish offensive.
Mike Pence, the US vice-president, said that the Trump administration had also agreed not to implement the “massive” new sanctions it had been threatening over the assault and even promised to lift those imposed this week if the ceasefire holds.
Turkey has committed to a permanent ceasefire after the Kurdish retreat, but has made no promises to withdraw its fighters.
The deal was struck after Mr Pence and Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, held face-to-face talks with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish president, in Ankara.
He was forced to fend off accusations that the deal amounted to a “second betrayal” of the Kurds. A Turkish official told Reuters that Turkey “got exactly what we wanted out of the meeting”.
But it was unclear whether the agreement would ensure the withdrawal of Kurdish troops from the entire 20-mile deep “safezone” that Turkey has said it wants to create along a 300-mile stretch of its border with Syria.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (YPG) last night said it would abide by the terms of the ceasefire in a much smaller area between the towns of Tal Abyad to Ras al-ain.
Mr Pence said that America had already begun to facilitate the withdrawal of YPG forces.
Mr Trump last night endorsed the deal from afar, tweeting that it was “good news” and adding: “Millions of lives will be saved!”
He went on: “This deal could never have been made three days ago. There needed to be some ‘tough’ love in order to get it done. Great for everybody.
Proud of all!”
Mevlut Cavusoglu, the foreign minister, said the country’s military operation would only fully be halted once all Kurdish forces had gone.
Mr Pence said in Ankara that America supports Mr Erdoğan’s plan to turn the area into a “safe zone”. He also claimed to have talked to YPG leaders who had “greatly welcomed” the deal.
Turkish officials questioned Mr Pence’s claim that they had agreed not to invade the Kurdish-held city of Kobani, saying no guarantees had been agreed on that subject.
Mr Pence said Mr Trump had been threatening “massive” sanctions on Turkey if no ceasefire was agreed.
Mr Trump’s agreement to reverse even the sanctions applied this week, which targeted Turkish cabinet members and was done amid intense pressure from Congress, could provoke a backlash in Washington.
The agreement came the day after copies of a letter that Mr Trump sent to Mr Erdoğan last week were released by the White House. Written in colloquial language, it used exhortation laced with threats to persuade Mr Erdoğan to reverse a decision to invade Syria that the Turkish leader told Mr Trump about in an Oct 6 phone call.
“Let’s work out a good deal!” Mr Trump began. “You don’t want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy – and I will.”
He went on: “I have worked hard to solve some of your problems. Don’t let the world down. You can make a great deal.“The president said he was enclosing a letter from the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Gen Mazloum Kobani Abdi, that included offers of important concessions.
“History will look upon you favourably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don’t happen. Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool!“said Mr Trump, before signing off with: “I will call you later.“
Turkish officials said Mr Erdoğan simply threw the letter in the bin and ordered the attack to begin.
‘Good news ... millions of lives will be saved... This deal could never have been made three days ago. There needed to be some “tough” love in order to get it done. Great for everybody. Proud of all!’