ANKARA, Oct. 15 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on late Tuesday rejected the offer of his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump for a cease-fire with the Syrian Kurdish fighters, but agreed to keep in dialogue with Washington.
Speaking to journalists on his way from Baku to Ankara, Erdogan said in a phone conversation with Trump, Trump proposed to mediate for a cease-fire between Turkey and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Syria and decided to send a delegation to Ankara for this bid.
The delegation, led by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, will arrive in Turkey on Wednesday, Erdogan said, adding that he will not accept a cease-fire with the YPG first.
"I told President Trump that we would not declare a cease-fire first before discussing other issues ... we will make a deal first, then we will talk about the truce," Turkish broadcaster NTV quoted Erdogan as saying.
Turkish armed forces are making an effort to clear northern Syria of "terror organizations" and Turkey cannot declare a cease-fire before the YPG, which Ankara sees as the Syrian branch of outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), was eliminated from its borders, said Erdogan.
With regard to the U.S. sanctions announced on Monday, the Turkish president noted that the United States is exerting pressure on Ankara as the YPG is rapidly losing its position after Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria.
"We have no worries about any sanctions," he stressed.
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