The U.S. partner Syrian Kurdish dominated alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since two years and Washington sees these forces as the most capable anti-Islamic State force in northern Syria. The SDF are now closing in on Raqqa, the de facto capital of the IS.
Whereas the Turkish government has long been proposing its NATO ally for launching Raqqa operation with Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters and Erdogan is expected to raise the offer once more during his talks with Trump.
Last week, the Turkish president sent a high level delegation including chief of army, head of intelligence agency and his close adviser to Washington to lay grounds for his upcoming meeting with the U.S. president.
"They presented a lot of documents to help clear the U.S. stance on YPG. Now we will have the final meeting, and then we will make our final decision. If we are strategic partners, we should make decisions in an alliance. If the alliance will be overshadowed, then we will have to take care of ourselves," Erdogan told reporters in Beijing on May 14, two days before a scheduled meeting with Trump in Washington.
He blamed U.S. bureaucracy left from Obama administration for American insistence for relying on the Syrian Kurdish militia.
A second hot potato for the meeting at the White House is the Ankara's demand from the U.S. temporary arrest and extradition of Fethullah Gulen, the self-exiled Islamic cleric in Pennsylvania who is accused by the Turkish government of masterminding failed coup attempt on July 15.
【国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Turkey-U.S. ties in spotlight as Erdogan faces tough talks with Trump】相关文章:
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