PKK/PYD terror ties make US leaving Syria harder: FM Çavuşoğlu

As it tries to end its involvement with the terrorist PKK/PYD in Syria, the U.S. is having problems withdrawing its forces, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Wednesday

"We see that the U.S. has some difficulties while withdrawing [from Syria],” Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.

“After being so intertwined and engaged with a terrorist organization, it is not that easy to leave that terrorist organization," he added, referring to the terrorist PKK/PYD.

He also underlined that some of the U.S institutions are divided in opinions on the U.S.’s pullout from Syria.

Turkey's stance that the country fully backs Syria's territorial integrity and stability.

He said that Turkey has repeatedly rejected U.S. claims that Washington will not withdraw its troops from northeastern Syria without a guarantee from Ankara that it won’t attack “Kurds." Turkey's leadership has stressed that equating "Kurds" with the terrorist PKK/PYD is illicit.

Under the Astana process, Turkey has been coordinating with Russia and Iran on Syria, Çavuşoğlu added.

On the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib, Çavuşoğlu said there have been "no problems faced so far with implementation of the Idlib deal, and Turkey has no wish to face problems going forward."

Turning to the civil war and humanitarian crisis in Yemen, he said finding a solution to the Yemen issue will be one of Turkey's priorities in 2019.

On the Cyprus issue, he said European Parliament elections set for this May have forestalled the start of any Cyprus negotiations.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The YPG and PYD are its Syrian extensions.