The Presidency’s Directorate of Communications yesterday dismissed reports alleging that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was planning a meeting with Mazlum Abdi, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Burhaneddin Duran, head of the directorate, refuted the claims in a statement on social media. “Certain meeting claims attributed to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, are false. The President's agenda does not include any such initiative or planning,” he wrote.
Duran stated that such unfounded claims were shared either "consciously or unconsciously," which he claimed "mislead the public and aim to influence the security policies pursued by Turkey."
The official rejection followed recent claims made by Adil Baxewan, Director of the European Institute for Middle East and North Africa Studies (EISMENA), a Paris-based organization. Baxewan had claimed that Erdoğan and Abdi had agreed to meet.
SDF commander Mazloum Abdi 'may visit Turkey soon,' says MP
He also alleged that a meeting between Abdi and Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), was being planned after the Erdoğan–Abdi meeting.
Abdi has previously expressed a desire to meet with Öcalan to contribute to the ongoing Kurdish peace process in Turkey.
SDF commander says wants to visit Öcalan to support Turkey's peace process
Syrian Kurds and peace process
The future of the Kurdish-led self-administration in northern and eastern Syria is viewed as a significant element of the peace process in Turkey. Ankara maintains that the SDF must disarm parallel to a PKK decision to lay down arms.
The SDF, on the other hand, contends that the disarmament call does not apply to them. They advocate for a decentralized administration in Syria.
On Mar 10, the SDF and the Damascus administration signed a protocol concerning the SDF’s integration into the Syrian army, but no progress has been made on the ground.
PKK leader defies Turkey’s demand, urges Syrian Arabs to back Kurdish forces
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