The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hami Aksoy responded to a question regarding U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo's remarks in an Interview.

Aksoy stated that they reject, in terms of both substance and language, the remarks made by US Secretary of State Pompeo in an interview given to an online news channel on January 3 about Turkiye in relation to Syria.

Aksoy underlined that Turkiye is determined to continue its fight against PKK/PYD/YPG and DAESH organizations, "which pose an existential threat to its national security and target the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria". 

"Misrepresenting Turkiye's fight against a terrorist organization as an attempt to target a particular group in Syria is totally unacceptable, given that Turkiye embraces the entire Syrian people, including Kurds. We strongly condemn treating a terrorist organization as a partner in fighting DAESH," he added.

Aksoy lastly underlined that Turkiye will continue to safeguard the rights of the Syrian Kurds both in its fight against terrorism and in its efforts for finding a political solution to the Syrian conflict.

"It should be recalled that Turkiye is currently hosting hundreds of thousands of Syrian Kurds who fled the oppression of PYD/YPG and cannot return to their own lands because of PYD/YPG's pressure," he noted. (ILKHA)