ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Sochi today to discuss developments in Syria, mere hours ahead of the expiration of a US-brokered pause in Turkey's offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.
With the Americans withdrawn from their former positions among their Kurdish allies and Syrian regime troops moving into fill the gap as part of a Russian-mediated deal, Putin may hold the future of the autonomous administration in the palm of his hand.
"We are hoping to increase our cooperation with Russia. Up to now, also with the contribution of Iran, we have been able to bring peace to the field, and we have worked hard to bring stability to Syria," Erdogan told journalists in a press conference in Ankara before departing for Sochi.
Turkey launched the ground invasion phase of its Operation Peace Spring on October 9. The operation has displaced at least 300,000 people and killed 200.
US Vice President Mike Pence negotiated a five-day truce on Thursday that stipulates Kurdish forces must withdraw from a stretch of territory on the border, to a depth of 32 kilometers, leaving their heavy arms behind. The Kurds have so far evacuated Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain) as part of the agreement and have said an extension of the ceasefire is entirely dependent on Turkey.
Erdogan acknowledged that the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) are abiding by the deal. "About 700-800 withdrew and the remaining 1200, 1300 are quickly leaving the area and it is told to us that they will leave and we are closely following their steps,” he said. “They all must leave and until they leave, this period will not end," the president added.
"According to the agreement signed with the United States, all the terrorists in the region must leave by tonight's 10pm deadline," said Erdogan. "If the promises America made to us are not kept, then our operation will continue from where was halted. It will be more decisive than before."
European allies have condemned Washington's decision to withdraw from northern Syria, leaving the Kurds exposed to Turkey's military offensive. French President Emmanuel Macron called Putin on Monday to discuss developments in Syria ahead of Erdogan's meeting with the Russian president.
In the phone call, Macron called for an extension of the US-brokered ceasefire, something Erdogan rejected.
“Macron meets with terrorists regarding this topic, mostly. This is probably a proposal that came from the terrorists to him and indirectly he’s trying to express this proposal to us. As such… France is not our counterpart in this process.”
Our deal is with the US, looks like Macron is trying to “make a place for himself in this agreement", Erdogan said.
Rudaw has learned that 50 Russian "military advisers" landed in Qamishli, the seat of the Kurdish-led autonomous administration, on Monday. More are expected to arrive today.
Syrian state media SANA reported on Tuesday that regime troops have started their deployment to the northern countryside of Hasaka province, especially near the M4 international highway.
Erdogan said he will discuss the Syrian deployment with Putin. "Also in areas where the regime is present, we hope to end the presence of the YPG in these areas. This is something we will talk about," he said. "My hope from this meeting, whether a face to face meeting or an intra-delegation meeting, that we will be able to reach the desired agreement."
"Turkey and Russia have always been against terror, and they continue to struggle against terror and share ideas. Both countries also respect the territorial integrity of Syria and want to protect its political unity," he said, referring to their collaboration in the Astana peace process and previous efforts in Sochi to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the talks between Putin and Erdogan will be "long and complicated," the wire service Interfax reported. Turkish forces will need permission from Damascus to remain in Syria, he added.
He also said that a German proposal for an internationally controlled safe zone deserves scrutiny.
"In our meeting in Sochi, we also want a permanent solution to Syria. We believe our meeting will help take a step in that direction," Erdogan said.
Russia is eager to facilitate dialogue between Turkey and Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
Moscow wants to prevent Turkish and regime forces from engaging each other, said Irina Zvyagelskaya, head of Middle East Studies at the Moscow-based Institute of World Economy and International Relations.
"There is a red line... Russia is strongly against any possible confrontational clash between the Turkish forces and Syrian armed forces. It is out of the question," Zvyagelskaya told Rudaw on Thursday.
A sustained ceasefire could create space for political negotiations, she said. "I don't believe that President Putin would be ready to meet with his Turkish counterpart if he did not believe that certain compromise could be found."
"Syria is not ready to endorse [a] special entity like the Iraqi Kurds have ... but the Kurds should get something after this civil war," she noted, adding that Russia is opposed to autonomy for the Kurds, but would accept decentralization.
