Turkey has legitimate security concerns: NATO chief

ANKARA

The U.S ally Turkey is at forefront of crisis and has legitimate security concerns about Syria, said the NATO secretary general on Wednesday.

"Turkey has suffered horrendous terrorist attacks, and it hosts millions of Syrian refugees," said Jens Stoltenberg after meeting Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in Roma.

Stoltenberg said Turkish authorities informed NATO about the fresh operation in northern Syria.

"It is important to avoid actions that may further destabilize the region, escalate tensions and cause more human suffering," said Stoltenberg.

"I count on Turkey to act with restraints and ensure that any action it may take in northern Syria is proportionate and measured," he added.

Gains made against Daesh must not be jeopardized, said Stoltenberg, adding that Daesh still poses "a great threat to the Middle East and North Africa and to all our nations."

Stoltenberg will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday, he said.

“Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus also voiced support for Turkey’s operation in Syria.

“Turkish Cypriots stand by Turkey as they have always been. Our prayers are with the Turkish Armed Forces,” said Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ersin Tatar in a written statement.

We are confident that Syria's territorial integrity will be ensured and peace will be brought to the region,” the statement added.

EU would not help finance safe zone

“If the Turkish plan involves the creation of a so-called ‘safe zone', do not expect the European Union to pay for any of it,” said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during his speech at the European Parliament General Assembly in Brussels.

Juncker underlined that Turkey has security concerns at its border with Syria that should be understood.

Newly-started military operation, however, is not leading to “good results”, Juncker said.

He also stressed that only a “genuine” political transition can provide a “sustainable” solution to the Syrian conflict.

Meanwhile, EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said: “In light of the Turkish military operation in northeast Syria, the EU reaffirms that a sustainable solution to the Syrian conflict cannot be achieved militarily.”

Mogherini stressed that Turkey’s security concerns should be addressed through political and diplomatic means rather than a military action.

Turkey on Wednesday announced the launch of Operation Peace Spring east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria to secure its borders by eliminating terrorist elements to ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees and Syria’s territorial integrity.

Turkey has said the terrorist group PKK and its extension the YPG/PYD constitute the biggest threat to Syria’s future, jeopardizing the country’s territorial integrity and unitary structure. Turkey has also stressed that supporting terrorists under the pretext of fighting Daesh is unacceptable.

Turkey has a 911-kilometer (566-mile) border with Syria and it has long decried the threat from terrorists east of the Euphrates and the formation of a “terrorist corridor” there.

Turkey plans to resettle 2 million Syrians in a 30-km-wide (19-mi) safe zone to be set up in Syria, stretching from the Euphrates River to the Iraqi border, including Manbij.

However, the presence of terror groups such as the PKK, PYD, and YPG risk its formation.

Turkey has rid an area of 4,000 square km (1,544 square miles) in Syria of terrorist groups in two separate cross-border operations. Since 2016, Turkey has conducted two major military operations in northwestern Syria -- Operation Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch -- to purge the region of the terrorist groups Daesh and the YPG, which is the Syrian branch of the terrorist group PKK.

The two operations were in line with the country’s right to self-defense borne out of international law, UN Security Council resolutions, especially no. 1624 (2005), 2170 (2014) and 2178 (2014), and under the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, while being respectful of Syria’s territorial integrity.

During Operation Euphrates Shield, Turkish forces neutralized 3,060 Daesh terrorists. Turkey has suffered greatly from Daesh attacks inside the country. More than 300 people have been killed in attacks claimed by Daesh in Turkey, where the terrorist group has targeted civilians in suicide bombings and armed attacks in recent years.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.