US Secretary of State Pompeo: We are Evaluating Turkey’s Requests

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated that Turkey has the full right to defend itself in Idlib and they consider all options to help Turkey.

Addressing the reporters at his press briefing yesterday (March 5), Pompeo also made remarks on the recent developments in Idlib.

Responding to a question on Turkey's requests from the US, including its demand to take out Syrian air defenses and to acquire Patriot missiles, Pompeo reminded the reporters that "their requirement was that Russian and Turkish leaders move back to the Sochi agreement back from 2018 and they too enter a ceasefire in the region."

The statement of Pompeo came before Russia's President Vladimir Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced yesterday evening that a ceasefire would enter into effect in Idlib as of 12.01 a.m. today.

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'We work to mitigate humanitarian crisis'

Continuing his remarks, Pompeo stated the following:

"As we know, hundreds of thousands of Syrians of all faiths, but predominantly Muslim, are being harmed by what the Assad regime, Russians, and Iranians are doing inside Idlib. The Turkish Government has asked us for a handful of things. We are evaluating all of those requests.

"Our team, along with the Department of Defense team, is trying to figure out how best to deliver less violence, more peace there, and stop the enormous humanitarian crisis that is – continues to take place.

"We had two of our senior leaders from the State Department on the ground there yesterday, I think it was, our time in Washington. Ambassador Craft and Ambassador Jeffrey were both there working to see how we can bring American and European resources to bear to mitigate this humanitarian crisis on the ground in Idlib and in the southern parts of Turkey."

Concluding his remarks, Pompeo said, "We believe firmly that our NATO partner Turkey has the full right to defend itself against the risk that's being created by what Assad, the Russians, and the Iranians are doing inside of Syria." (EKN/SD)