Turkey, UK, France, Germany to discuss Syria

By Ferdi Turkten and Enes Kaplan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey, Germany, France, and the U.K. will discuss the latest developments in Syria, the Turkish president said on Tuesday while in London for a summit among NATO leaders.

"The developments regarding our Operation Peace Spring will be evaluated," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists upon his arrival at his hotel.

"Since these countries are among the coalition forces, we will discuss to that extent they have fulfilled their duties within this coalition and how they can support the plans and projects we prepared," he added.

"We'll also get the chance to listen to their expectations from us and I hope we will have completed the meeting in good faith,” he said.

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Under two separate deals with the U.S. and Russia, Turkey paused the operation to allow the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the planned Syria safe zone.

But the terrorists have failed to withdraw from some areas and continue to attack both soldiers and civilians.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak