No US-Turkey talks over Afrin: Foreign Ministry
ANKARA
Turkey has not been engaged in any diplomatic talks with the United States over the ongoing military operation in Syria’s northwestern province of Afrin, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has stated, refuting remarks by Pentagon Spokesperson Adrian Galloway, who said Ankara and Washington were in contact over the issue.
“The claim voiced by the Pentagon spokesperson yesterday [on Feb. 26], stating that the U.S. and Turkey have been carrying out diplomatic talks about options to relieve tension in Syria’s Afrin region, is not right,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy told reporters in Ankara on Feb. 27.
Aksoy’s statement came after Galloway said in a briefing on Feb. 25 that Turkey and the U.S. have been carrying out talks “in order to focus on the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL].”
“It will be remembered that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced during his visit to Turkey on Feb. 15 and 16 that there will be a mechanism built for tackling Syria-related problems between two countries, and the priority will be given to Manbij,” Aksoy also added.
