Turkey, Russia Taking Wait-And-See Approach on Trump's Syria Safe Zones

Turkey says it is too early to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to establish safe zones in Syria.


Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu said Thursday it will be important to first see the results of studies that Trump is expected to order from the Pentagon and State Department about instituting zones where civilians in Syria could be safe from the country's ongoing conflict.

Turkey, which shares a border with Syria, has long advocated safe zones. Former U.S. President Barack Obama did not support the idea, citing the potential challenges involved in safeguarding those areas, including the possible use of U.S. ground troops or an expanded air mission to enforce a no-fly zone.

Turkey has in a way carved out areas inside of Syria through an air and ground offensive it launched last year to drive Islamic State fighters from the border region.

In Russia, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the Russian government has not been consulted by Trump's administration. He added that all of the potential consequences of a no-fly zone need to measured first, and that "it's important not to exacerbate the situation with refugees."
  [voanews.com]
26/1/17
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