“We again draw attention to the fact that fight against terrorism, this modern evil, could become effective only when all sides coordinate their efforts on the basis of accepted international rules,” Alexander Lukashevich said. “If operations are subordinate to mercenary interests such as changes of regimes, the fight is likely to bring about further sufferings for civilians and this is the situation we are observing."
The decision on a buffer zone on the border with Syria may only be made by the United Nations Security Council, Lukashevich stressed. “It is up to the UN Security Council to make decisions on these (buffer) zones,” Lukashevich said. “You remember the way it was in Iraq, Libya, and what it resulted in.”
The diplomat said decisions made by separate states or coalitions on establishment of buffer zones are illegitimate.en.itar-tass.com
9/10/14
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Related:
Ex-Pentagon chief predicts 30-year ISIS war. --(Hillary Clinton had urged Obama in 2012 to arm moderate Syrian rebels)
‘Islamic State is lesser evil for Turkey than Assad or Kurds’...
Islamic State militants launch a renewed assault on Kobane...
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U.S. too late on Syria, ex-Pentagon chief warns. --(Hillary Clinton had urged Obama in 2012 to arm moderate Syrian rebels)
Obama: US Intelligence Underestimated Militants in Syria (VOA News)
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Head Says Ground War Required to Battle ISIS/ISIL. ("We need a large ground force to counter ISIL")
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Islamic State seizes large areas of Syrian town despite air strikes...
ReplyDeleteIslamic State fighters seized more than a third of the Syrian border town of Kobani, a monitoring group said on Thursday, as U.S.-led air strikes failed to halt their advance and Turkish forces nearby looked on without intervening.
With Washington ruling out a ground operation in Syria, Turkey described as unrealistic any expectation that it would conduct a cross-border operation unilaterally to relieve the mainly Kurdish town.
The U.S. military said Kurdish forces appeared to be holding out in the town that lies within sight of Turkish territory, following fresh airstrikes in the area against a militant training camp and fighters.
However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Islamic State, which is still widely known by its former acronym of ISIS, had pushed forward on Thursday................http://www.todayonline.com/world/kurds-say-air-strikes-push-islamic-state-back-kobani-0
9/10/14
Special Presidential Envoy John Allen Meetings With Turkish Officials on Efforts to Counter ISIL...
ReplyDeletePress Statement
Jen Psaki
Department Spokesperson
Washington, DC
October 9, 2014
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Special Presidential Envoy John Allen and Deputy Special Presidential Envoy Brett McGurk held constructive and detailed talks with Turkish officials today in Ankara, including with Prime Minister Davutoglu and senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials. General Allen and Deputy Special Envoy McGurk discussed areas of cooperation across the multiple lines of effort that will be required to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL. They stressed that we are in the early stages of consolidating a broad coalition against this terrorist network in what will be a long-term campaign. General Allen and Deputy Special Envoy McGurk also emphasized that urgent steps are immediately required to degrade ISIL's military capabilities and ongoing ability to threaten the region. They further stressed that strengthening the moderate Syrian opposition, which is engaged in fighting both ISIL and the Asad regime, is crucial to any realistic and lasting political settlement of the Syrian crisis.
In this regard, General Allen, Deputy Special Envoy McGurk, and their Turkish interlocutors discussed several measures to advance the military line of effort against ISIL, noting that a joint military planning team will visit Ankara early next week to follow up in military-to-military channels. Both sides also agreed that we will continue a dynamic and deepening bilateral consultation process across the multiple lines of effort against ISIL, including military support, countering foreign fighters, counter-finance, humanitarian assistance, and de-legitimizing ISIL's messaging and rhetoric. General Allen and Deputy Special Envoy McGurk recognized the sacrifice made by Turkey due to the ISIL crisis in Syria and Iraq, and emphasized the historic and unbreakable partnership between Turkey and the United States as NATO allies.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/10/232819.htm
9/10/14
Hagel: U.S. wants use of Turkey base, help training....
ReplyDeleteThe United States would like to have access of Turkey’s air base at Incirlik and an agreement to help train and equip the moderate Syrian forces, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday, the Associated Press reported.
Hagel said U.S. officials are raising those issues with Turkish leaders in discussions this week.
While Ankara's persistent request for the U.S. to set up a safe zone along Turkey’s border with Syria is not “actively being considered,” he said, American leaders are open to a discussion about it.
The defense secretary said Turkey has military capabilities that would be valuable in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants. The U.S. would like to be able to base various aircraft at the air base near the Syrian border, he said..................http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/10/10/Hagel-U-S-wants-use-of-Turkey-base-help-training.html
10/10/14