Senior US diplomat to visit Ankara for talks on Syria

WASHINGTON

US Under Secretary of State John Bass is set to visit Ankara on Jan. 9 - 10 for discussions with senior Turkish officials on the situation in Syria and broader regional stability, the State Department announced Wednesday.

Bass will emphasize the importance of a “peaceful, inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition,” in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, the statement said.

The talks will also address preventing Syria from being used as a base for terrorism and ensuring the enduring defeat of the Daesh/ISIS terror group.

The visit comes amid persistent disagreements between the two NATO allies about the US support for YPG/PKK-led SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces).

The US regards the SDF as its primary partner in the fight against Daesh/ISIS in Syria. The SDF is led by the YPG, the Syrian branch of the PKK, a designated terror organization in the US and Türkiye. Ankara sees the presence of the YPG/PKK near its border as a direct threat to its national security.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently issued a stark ultimatum to the PKK/YPG, demanding that the group disarm and dissolve. On Tuesday, Fidan warned of a potential military operation if the group fails to comply.

“The ultimatum we gave them is clear. We’ve delivered it through the Americans and the media. Those classified as international terrorist fighters, coming from Türkiye, Iran, and Iraq, must leave immediately,” Fidan told CNN Türk in a televised interview.

The leader of Syria’s new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also urged all armed groups to gradually dissolve.

"Under no circumstances will we accept any group being armed, whether in areas under our control or in those controlled by the YPG/PKK. We aim to take full control of all weapons across the country," he said during a joint news conference Dec. 22 with Fidan in Damascus.