Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Ankara is continuing its cooperation with the United States in order to reach a political settlement in Syria. Çavuşoğlu said the two countries would carry out a joint-training and equipping program for the Syrian opposition to create safe zones inside Syria, while seking to establish a foothold for Syrians who want to fight ISIS.
In a press conference during his visit to Washington, Çavuşoğlu said that Turkish national security was greatly affected by events in Syria, especially after the emergence of ISIS, noting that the narrow focus on the war against terrorism will not solve the crisis in Syria and Iraq.
Çavuşoğlu added that Turkey has taken all the necessary measures to prevent the flow of foreign fighters through its territory, but it needs global cooperation and an exchange of information with countries exporting fighters. Çavuşoğlu called on the international community to exert pressure on Assad to force the president’s participation the negotiations table, adding that the political vacuum in Syria must be filled with a legitimate government that represents the aspirations of Syrian people.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
