Washington’s Syria envoy in Ankara to discuss Manbij road map

U.S. envoy to Syria James Jeffrey is expected to pay a visit to Turkey todaywith an agenda focusing on the crisis in Syria, particularly the Manbij road map.

The Manbij road map was agreed upon with Ankara in June with the aim of clearing the province from the PKK’s Syrian affiliate the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

In the light of intense criticism over ongoing U.S. support to the YPG in northern Syria, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that Jeffrey and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Levant Affairs and Special Envoy for Syria Joel Rayburn are coming to Turkey for a high-level meeting on Syria that is expected to be held at the Foreign Ministry in Ankara on Friday.

Following the meeting in Ankara, Jeffrey is expected to travel to Turkey’s southern province of Gaziantep later on Friday to visit Turkish and U.S. soldiers who have been receiving joint training in the region. He is then expected to travel to Jordan. Jeffrey’s visits are expected to last until Dec. 14.

In relation to the agenda of the visit, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said yesterday that YPG-held areas east of the Euphrates will top the agenda. During his visit to Turkey Jeffrey is expected to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal along with other senior security officials and diplomats in Turkey.

According to the U.S. State Department, Jeffrey will also meet with other senior officials to emphasize the importance of maintaining pressure on the Syrian regime and encouraging all possible efforts to advance the political track.

“In Turkey the ambassador will meet with Turkish leaders and others senior officials to discuss promotion of stability and security in Syria. He will also conduct with Turkish officials High-Level Working Group on Syria to address security concerns of our two countries and continue progress on issues of mutual interest regarding the ongoing crisis in Syria” the U.S. State Department said in a written statement.

The meeting between Jeffery and Turkish officials is considered as significant as Turkey will once again convey its concerns over the sluggish progress on the Manbij deal that foresees the withdrawal of the terrorist organization from the city.

Turkish and U.S. military forces completed the second round of training to carry out joint patrols in northern Syria’s Manbij area earlier this week. Yet, Turkey wants the process to ramp up. Acceleration demands of the process are expected to be underscored during Jeffrey’s visit.

The U.S.’ decision to set up observation points near the Syrian-Turkish border is another topic that is expected to be discussed during the meetings with Jeffrey.

Ankara conveyed its discomfort to the U.S. over the establishment of observation points in Syria. Many regarded Washington’s recent moves as an attempt to distinguish and legitimize YPG existence in Syria.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other senior officials have been repeatedly emphasizing that if the threat toward the country’s border security from the YPG continue, Turkey will expand its military campaign into YPG-held areas east of the Euphrates. “We will eliminate terrorist elements very soon east of the Euphrates, just like we did in the west of the Euphrates,” Erdoğan said on Monday during his visit to Latin America.

U.S. support for the YPG terrorist organization, which facilitated the groups’ efforts to form an autonomous region, has been a major sticking point in U.S.-Turkey relations. The U.S. has provided military training and truckloads of military support to the YPG, despite Ankara’s warnings that the group shares organic organizational and operational links with the PKK, a group considered a terrorist organization by the U.S., the EU, and Turkey. The YPG and PKK’s ultimate aim is to establish an autonomous region in parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran.

Jeffrey had previously visited Turkey on Oct. 15 for four days as a part of a regional tour that included Qatar and Saudi Arabia.