* Photo: AA/Archive
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Speaking at the Signing of the US-Japan Trade Agreement and US-Japan Digital Trade Agreement, US President Donald Trump touched upon a series of issues including US withdrawal from northern Syria ahead of a possible cross-border operation by Turkey.
Indicating that he told President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that "he was going to be responsible" for the arrested ISIS members in the region from then on, Trump also added that "he was not siding with anyone in Syria".
Later in the day today (October 8), Trump has posted four more tweets about Turkey and Syria and announced that he will host Erdoğan in the US on November 13. He has also said, "We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we abandoned Kurds."
'What will we do with 60-70 thousand people?'
Speaking at the Signing of the US-Japan Trade Agreement and US-Japan Digital Trade Agreement, Trump touched upon the ISIS members arrested in the region. He stated the following in brief about the issue:
"But then I said, 'What are we going to do with these 60- to 70,000 people that are being held and being guarded and we can't release them?' And many fighters also. And I said, 'I want them to go back to Germany, to France, to different European countries from where they came.' And I said to the European countries — I said to all of them, 'Take the people back.' And they said, 'No, no, no. We don't want to do it. We don't them back.' I said, 'Well, they came from Germany or they came from France. Take them back.'
"So I told President Erdoğan, 'You got to — it's going to be your responsibility.' Now, really, who's responsible — it's really Russia, it's Turkey, it's Iran, it's Iraq, and it's Syria, and anybody else in the neighborhood. Okay? We call it the 'neighborhood.' It's not a friendly neighborhood. But these countries should do it.
'We have been in Syria for many years'
"Well, I'm not siding with anybody. We've been in Syria for many years. You know, Syria was supposed to be a short-term hit — just a very short-term hit. And we were supposed to be in and out. That was many, many years ago. And we only have 50 people in that area. That's a small sector.
"And I don't want those 50 people hurt or killed or anything. I don't want anything bad to happen to our people. And I told that to President Erdoğan. I said, 'Don't hurt any of our — any of our people get hurt, big trouble.'
'Obama created a natural war with Turkey, PKK'
"Now, a couple of things: I think there's a lot of pressure on Turkey. They have been fighting with the PKK for many years. They're natural enemies.
"If you read today, a couple of reports saying that when President Obama started this whole thing — as you know, it was started by President Obama — he created a natural war with Turkey and their long-time enemy, PKK. And they're still there. And they' still hate each other beyond anybody's belief."
'Turkey is a big trading partner of the US'
Later in the day, Donald Trump has posted four tweets about Turkey under the hashtag #EndEndlessWars:
"So many people conveniently forget that Turkey is a big trading partner of the United States, in fact they make the structural steel frame for our F-35 Fighter Jet", Trump has said and stated the following:
"They have also been good to deal with, helping me to save many lives at Idlib Province, and returning, in very good health, at my request, Pastor Brunson, who had many years of a long prison term remaining.
"Also remember, and importantly, that Turkey is an important member in good standing of NATO. He is coming to U.S. as my guest on November 13th.
'In no way have we abandoned the Kurds'
"We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we Abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters. Likewise our relationship with Turkey, a NATO and Trading partner, has been very good.
"Turkey already has a large Kurdish population and fully understands that while we only had 50 soldiers remaining in that section of Syria, and they have been removed, any unforced or unnecessary fighting by Turkey will be devastating to their economy and to their very fragile currency. We are helping the Kurds financially/weapons!" (PT/SD)
