The world reacts to Turkey's military operation in northeast Syria

Turkey has received more Syrian refugees in its territory than any other nation in Europe: about 3.5
million people who have fled the civil war. Lately, the attitude towards refugees has changed into a
hostile one. In southeastern Turkey, an angry mob vandalized an area inhabited by Syrians. Refugees are
to blame for the unemployment rate, housing crisis and crime, while the country is facing an economic
crisis.

The Turkish president is under pressure and has announced plans to repatriate refugees in so-called
safe areas in northern Syria. The Ankara government says they are voluntarily returning to their country,
despite the war.

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians live in Istanbul. Many of them live in the Fatih neighborhood. Many
have heard that the Turkish authorities have started deporting refugees in recent months and most are
worried they may be the next target.

"When they started sending people back, I was so scared that I didn’t leave the house anymore", says
one man.

"We are now facing more restrictions and people are being deported back to Syria. But we can no
longer flee from Turkey to Europe. It's too dangerous, ”explains one woman.

The atmosphere is also tense in Istanbul:

"It bothers us! If they come back, I no longer want to live in this neighborhood and in this country, ”says
a Turk.

"I get along well with most of the Syrians here - there are negative elements among them, but so in
everything," says one man.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has noticed this change in people's feelings. He has repeatedly
promised that millions of Syrians will return home to a so-called "safe zone" that he wants to set up in
northeastern Syria.

The government insists that no deportations are being made and that Syrians returning to their country
are doing it voluntarily.

EU offers measured reaction to Turkey's offensive in Syria

EU foreign ministers condemned Turkey's military intervention in northeastern Syria but stopped short
of agreeing on a blocwide arms embargo at their meeting on Monday. The offensive in Syria topped the
agenda at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

"The EU condemns Turkey's military action, which seriously undermines the stability and the security of
the whole region, resulting in more civilians suffering and further displacement and severely hindering
access to humanitarian assistance," the foreign ministers said in a joint statement released Monday.
"The EU recalls the decision taken by some member states to immediately halt arms exports licensing to
Turkey," they added, referring to "strong national positions."

EU member-state representatives will meet later in the week to "coordinate and review" their
positions. The bloc also called for a ministerial meeting of the international coalition against the Islamic
State (IS) group "to address how to pursue its efforts in the current context."

Turkey launched the incursion on Kurdish militias in northeastern Syria last week after President Donald
Trump pulled out US troops stationed there. Critics say the move will disrupt the fragile stability the
region, harming and displacing thousands of civilians and paving the way for IS to reestablish itself in the
region. Last week, the EU called on Turkey to "cease the unilateral military action."

"This offensive is going to cause serious humanitarian devastation," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves
Le Drian said ahead of Monday's talks. "France expects a specific demand to end the offensive and a firm
position on arms exports to Turkey."

The situation could force the NATO member's allies to get involved, according to Luxembourg's Foreign
Minister Jean Asselborn. "Article five of the NATO pact states that all other countries must help to
defend a country if it is attacked," Asselborn said, describing the situation as "extraordinary."

Possible sanctions

Germany and France, along with Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands, have halted arms exports to
Turkey. Turkey has said the move will have little effect.

Sweden sought an EU-wide embargo against Turkey in the talks and has also suggested taking measures
against individuals.

"It is important that we stay in dialogue with Turkey," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said. "If this
is not successful, we must be prepared to take further measures."

Franco-German response

In a press conference on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela
Merkel condemned the offensive. "We have a common desire that this offensive ends," Macron told
journalists.

He also warned that the move created "unbearable humanitarian situations" that raised the likelihood
of the reemergence of IS. The Kurds were instrumental in shaking the extremist group's hold on the
region.

Merkel agreed, saying the offensive "should be stopped." Earlier on Sunday, in a phone call with Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, she called for "immediate termination" of the military action.

Source: www.dw.com

Turkey's president vows to press ahead with offensive, as Syrian army soldiers deploy around strategic
town of Manbij.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the military action aims to remove the Kurdish-led forces from the
border area and create a "safe zone" to which millions of Syrian refugees can be returned.
 The move came after the United States announced it was withdrawing its troops from the area, leaving
the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), its main ally in the battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL or ISIS) armed group, without US military support.

Turkey's mission will end once Kurdish forces leave: Erdogan

Erdogan said Turkey's operation will end when Ankara completes its goal to form a "safe zone" from
Syria's Manbij to the border with Iraq.

"We informed the US, EU and Russia before the operation began that ... we want this terrorist
organisation to be removed from our borders," he said at a weekly meeting of his ruling AK Party,
referring to the YPG.

"When the zone from Manbij to Iraq [is cleared] when we could establish a safe zone, this operation will
be over. But until that point, no power can stop us."

Turkish foreign minister, US national security adviser to meet in Ankara

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will meet with the US national security adviser, Robert
O'Brien, Turkey's foreign ministry said.

O'Brien will be visiting Ankara as part of a delegation led by Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo, who will hold talks with President Tayyip Erdogan about Turkey's military operation
in northeastern Syria on Thursday

France's Le Drian to visit Iraq to discuss trials, transfer of armed fighters

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he would soon go to Iraq to discuss a judicial framework
to enable jihadists being held in Syria to face trial.

Le Drian also told French broadcaster BFM TV that nine French women had escaped from a Kurdish-
controlled camp following Turkey's military incursion into northern Syria.

Erdogan may visit Russia by end of October

Erdogan may visit Russia for talks by the end of October, the RIA news agency reported, citing Kremlin
spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

On Tuesday, Erdogan spoke over the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia, a close ally of
Damascus, is a leading power broker in Syria.

Putin's office said in a statement the two leaders emphasised "the need to prevent confrontations
between units of the Turkish army and Syrian armed forces". Putin also raised concerns in the call about
"terrorists attempting to break free and infiltrate neighbouring countries" amid Ankara's ongoing
offensive.

UNITED NATIONS

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said any military operation must fully respect the U.N. Charter
and international humanitarian law. Spokesman Farhan Haq said: “Civilians and civilian infrastructure
should be protected. The secretary-general believes that there’s no military solution to the Syrian
conflict.” The UN Security Council's president, South African ambassador Jerry Matthews Matjila, also
appealed to Turkey to "protect civilians" and exercise "maximum restraint".

EU

EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker demanded Turkey to halt its military operation, telling Ankara the bloc
would not pay for any so-called "safe zone" that might be created.

The EU's top foreign policy official, Federica Mogherini warned that "unilateral action on Turkey's part
threatens" concerted action by the West and Turkey and other countries to defeat ISIL.

Turkish military action, she said, risked "protracted instability in northeast Syria, providing fertile ground
for the resurgence of Daesh".

Keeping captured ISIL fighters in Syria secure is "imperative in order to prevent them from joining the
ranks of terrorist groups," she added

NATO

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged Turkey to show "restraint", while acknowledging that Ankara had
"legitimate security concerns".

"It's important to avoid actions that may further destabilise the region, escalate tensions, and cause
more human suffering," Stoltenberg said at a news conference in Rome.

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

EGYPT

Egypt’s foreign ministry condemned the offensive as “a blatant and unacceptable attack on the
sovereignty of a brotherly Arab state”. It called for an emergency meeting of the League of Arab States.

GERMANY

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Turkey’s operation would lead to further detribalization of the
region and could strengthen Islamic State. He urged Turkey to end the operation.

FRANCE

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on his Twitter feed that the operation "is jeopardising
the anti-Islamic State coalition's security and humanitarian efforts and is a risk for the security of
Europeans. It has to end."

French Defence Minister Florence Parly said that the Turkish offensive is dangerous and should stop.

"[It is] dangerous for the security of the Kurds. Dangerous because it benefits Islamic State, which we
have been fighting for five years. It must stop," Parly wrote on Twitter.
ITALY

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the operation risked destabilising the region and harming
civilians

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said the operation was "unacceptable" and called for an
immediate end to the fighting.

"As a government we think that the Turkish offensive initiative is unacceptable. We condemn it ...
because military action in the past has always led to more terrorism," Di Maio, who is head of the co-
ruling 5-Star Movement, said on the sidelines of a conference in Rome.

"We call for an immediate end to this offensive which is absolutely not acceptable given that the use of
force continues to endanger the life of the Syrian people, who have already experienced tragedy in
recent years," he said.

DENMARK

Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod tweeted: “Deeply concerned about Turkish military operation in
Syria. In my view, this is a regrettable and wrong decision, which can have serious consequences for
civilians and the fight against ISIL (Islamic State). Turkey must show restraint. Denmark is in close contact
with allies on the matter.”

THE NETHERLANDS

Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said he has summoned the Turkish ambassador.

"I call on Turkey not to follow the path it has chosen," Blok said on Twitter. "No one can benefit from the
potentially terrible humanitarian consequences. The operation can trigger new refugee flows and harm
the fight against IS and stability in the region."

ARAB LEAGUE

Hossam Zaki, deputy secretary-general of the Arab League said that foreign ministers from around the
region will be meeting in Cairo on Saturday to discuss Turkey's military operation.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, head of the pan-Arab organisation said that Turkey's incursion is a "blatant
violation of Syria's sovereignty and threatens Syria's integrity".

He added that Turkey's incursion also threatens to inflame further conflicts in eastern and northern
Syria, and "could allow for the revival" of ISIL.

SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia said the offensive would undermine the region's security and the battle against ISIL.

The Turkish army's "aggression" would have "negative repercussions on the security and stability of the
region", the foreign ministry said on Twitter.

It would also "undermine international efforts to fight the Islamic State terrorist group".

IRAN
Iran called for an immediate halt to Turkey's offensive on Kurdish-ruled northeastern Syria, citing
concern for the dangers to civilians in the conflict zone.

"Iran... emphasises (the need for) an immediate halt to the assault and the departure of Turkish military
units from Syrian territory," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

SYRIA

Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned Turkey's plans, calling it a "blatant violation" of international law
and vowing to repel an incursion.

IRAQ

Iraqi President Barham Salih called Turkey's "incursion" a "grave escalation" on Twitter.

"[It] will cause untold humanitarian suffering, empower terrorist groups. The world must unite to avert
a catastrophe, promote political resolution to the rights of all Syrians, including Kurds, to peace, dignity
and security," Salih said.

UAE

In a statement, the UAE foreign ministry said that the aggression represents a dangerous development
and a blatant and unacceptable aggression against the sovereignty of an Arab state in contravention of
the rules of international law.

BAHRAIN

The Bahrain foreign ministry condemned the offensive according to state news agency BNA.

The statement said Bahrain supports the call for an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council to
take a unified Arab stand towards the aggression.

KUWAIT

Kuwait said on Wednesday that the Turkish offensive in northeast Syria is a direct threat to stability and
peace in the region and called for restraint, the state news agency reported.

UNITED STATES

US President Donald Trump said Turkey's air assault was "a bad idea" not backed by the United States,
and called on Ankara to protect religious minorities.

"The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a
bad idea," Trump said in a statement released by the White House.

"Turkey has committed to protecting civilians, protecting religious minorities, including Christians, and
ensuring no humanitarian crisis takes place - and we will hold them to this commitment."

RUSSIA

Before the launch of the offensive, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Erdogan to "think carefully"
before taking any action.
"Putin called on his Turkish partners to think carefully about the situation so as not to harm overall
efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis," the presidency said following a phone call between the two leaders.

UK

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement he had "serious concerns about the unilateral
military action that Turkey has taken".

"This risks destabilising the region, exacerbating humanitarian suffering, and undermining the progress
made against Daesh which should be our collective focus."

AUSTRALIA

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday he had been in contact with the governments
of Turkey and the US and was worried about the situation, and the risk of further instability in the area.

"We are very concerned about what this could potentially mean for the Kurdish people," Morrison said.
"We're concerned about what this could mean for the potential for the resurgence of Daesh," he added,
using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.

Source: www.aljazeera.com

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