30 March 2018•Update: 30 March 2018
By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun
ANKARA
Turkey's stance on the PKK/PYD/YPG terror group is "clear" and Ankara rejects any approach for mediation or dialogue, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said early Friday.
In shared posts on Twitter, Kalin said Turkey expects its allies to stand "clearly" against all kinds of terrorism.
"Turkey's stance against PKK/PYD/YPG -- which is trying to legitimize itself under the name of SDF -- is clear. We reject 'dialogue, contact, mediation' approaches with these terrorist structures, which are irresponsible," Kalin said.
"Countries that we count on as allies should have a clear attitude against all kinds of terror, instead of taking steps towards legitimizing efforts put forth by terrorist groups," he said on Twitter.
"Different names and clothings cannot hide the true identity of terrorist groups," he said.
Kalin's Twitter posts came after Thursday's statement from the French presidency.
The written statement from the Elysee Palace said, President Emmanuel Macron recalled “the commitment of France against the PKK and its commitment to the security of Turkey” during his meeting with the PYD/PKK-led SDF delegation.
Macron also said that the SDF had “no operational link with this terrorist group”, adding that "a dialogue could be established between the SDF and Turkey with the assistance of France and the international community".
The U.S. has supported the YPG/PKK, under the name SDF, which is considered by Ankara as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror organization that has waged a more-than-30-year war against the Turkish state.
