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A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 9 January 2019

Turkey slams US request for assurances on Syrian Kurds

By ZEKE MILLER tions in Iraq and Syria, the
Associated Press other on the Kurdish militias’
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — “criminal activities and hu-
Turkish President Recep man rights violations.”
Tayyip Erdogan accused A Bolton spokesman, Gar-
the U.S. national security rett Marquis, said in a state-
adviser of making “a very ment that Bolton and Turk-
serious mistake” Tuesday ish officials “had a produc-
by demanding that An- tive discussion of the Presi-
kara guarantee the safety dent’s decision to withdraw
of Kurdish fighters in north- at a proper pace from
eastern Syria before the Northeast Syria.”
U.S. withdraws its troops But Erdogan, for his part,
from the war-torn country. said Bolton had “made a
A strained morning of ne- very serious mistake. Who-
gotiation in Turkey end- ever thinks this way is also
ed without assurances mistaken. We cannot make
of protection for forces any concession in this re-
that fought alongside U.S. gard and those involved
troops against the Islamic in a terror corridor” in Syria
State group, and indeed would “receive the neces-
brought them fresh new sary punishment.”
threats from Turkey. The Trump’s shifting timetable
diplomatic setback raised Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he delivers a speech to MPs of his ruling for pulling U.S. troops out
fresh questions about how Justice and Development Party (AKP) at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. of Syria has left allies and
the U.S. would protect its Associated Press other players in the region
allies in the fight against IS speaking on the condition State.An official at the assuring allies it would not confused and jockeying for
and about the pace of the of anonymity because the meeting said Bolton told be done precipitously. influence over a withdraw-
drawdown of U.S. forces official wasn’t authorized Kalin that Erdogan’s op-ed But Kalin told reporters after al strategy that appeared
in Syria. “John Bolton has to speak on the record. was “wrong and offensive.” talks with Bolton there is no to be a work in progress.
made a very serious mis- An official at Tuesday’s The official added that the slowdown in the timetable Trump faced widespread
take. We cannot make meeting between Bolton U.S. stuck by Trump’s re- for U.S. withdrawal from criticism that he was aban-
any concessions in this re- and senior Turkish officials quest that the Kurds who Syria. He said U.S. officials doning the Kurds in the
gard,” Erdogan said Tues- said presidential spokes- fought with the U.S. not have said during their dis- face of Turkish threats. Of-
day, just before Bolton left man Ibrahim Kalin stated be mistreated, and the cussions that the withdraw- ficials said at the time that
the country with tensions that Erdogan committed Turks stuck by their position al could take place within although many details of
between the NATO allies that Turkey would not take that the Kurds “are terrorist “120 days.” the withdrawal had not
at new highs. He added offensive action while U.S. groups and they’re free to Kalin said talks with Bolton yet been finalized, they ex-
that Ankara’s preparations forces were there. go after them.” focused on how the U.S. pected American forces to
for a new military offensive Bolton departed Turkey Trump abruptly announced would collect the weapons be out by mid-January.
against what the Turkish without meeting with Erdo- last month he intended to that were given to Kurdish After Bolton announced
leader describes as terror gan in an apparent snub withdraw U.S. troops from militia fighting Islamic States this week the U.S. pullout
groups in Syria are “to a by the Turks — the meet- Syria, and the U.S. has sent as well as the future of U.S. would not be as immediate
large extent” complete. ing had been expected mixed signals over how bases in Syria. He said he as Trump had initially de-
Bolton had insisted that Tur- for days. A spokesman for soon that would be ac- handed over two dossiers clared, U.S. allies were still
key refrain from conduct- Bolton said U.S. officials complished. Bolton’s trip to to Bolton — one on Turk- seeking clarification from
ing any operation unless it were told Erdogan cited the Mideast was aimed at ish help to Kurdish popula- American diplomats. q
was approved by and co- the local election season
ordinated with the U.S. Tur- and a speech to parlia-
key’s presidential spokes- ment for not meeting with Storm packing snow and rain
man fired back publicly him.
permission from its allies to meeting with Kalin, Bolton paralyzes parts of Lebanon
that Turkey would not seek In the more than two-hour

conduct a military offen- outlined five U.S. principles
sive against Syrian Kurdish for the Syria drawdown, Associated Press tents. for school to be closed
fighters, but was willing to including that “the United BEIRUT (AP) — A winter Authorities closed the high- even on the coast for a
coordinate operations. States opposes any mis- storm packing heavy rain way linking Beirut with the second day Wednesday.
A senior administration of- treatment of opposition and snow on Tuesday Syrian capital Damascus On Monday, a woman
ficial said Erdogan’s com- forces who fought with us turned streets in Lebanon after parts of it that cut gave birth in an ambu-
ments did not reflect Presi- against ISIS.” into rivers of water and through high mountains be- lance as it took a long time
dent Donald Trump’s un- In the high-stakes session in mud and paralyzed parts came covered with snow. to reach a hospital be-
derstanding of his Dec. 23 Ankara’s presidential com- of the country. In the coastal town of cause of snow. The woman
conversation with the Turk- plex, Bolton also rebuked Among those affected Dbayeh, just north of Beirut, and the baby later arrived
ish leader, days after the Erdogan’s column in The were tens of thousands of part of the highway was at the nearby hospital and
U.S. president announced New York Times, in which Syrian refugees, many of closed after it was filled with both are in good health,
his intent to withdraw Amer- the Turkish leader restated whom live in tent settle- water. Rescuers later used according to state-run Na-
ican troops from northeast- his position that the Syrian ments. In the eastern Bekaa small boats to help people tional News Agency.
ern Syria. Trump “thought Defense Forces were mem- Valley, many Syrian refu- stranded in their cars. The storm dubbed “Nor-
he got a commitment bers of terrorist groups and gees stayed indoors next to Most schools were closed ma” began Saturday and
from Erdogan” to protect criticized the U.S. air cam- diesel or wood heaters as Tuesday and the Lebanese is expected to reach its
the Kurds, the official said, paign against the Islamic snow covered their flimsy education minister called peak Tuesday night.q