EU follows Turkey, US talks on safe zone in Syria

European Union follows the talks between Turkey and the US on a safe zone in Syria along Turkey’s border, an EU official said on Friday, says Reuters.

“Obviously, we do follow the discussions between the US and Turkey and are trying to understand in more detail what this would mean and entail,” EU’s Foreign Affairs and Security Policy spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said at a press briefing.

Kocijancic said the EU believes that “the goal needs to be to avoid any renewed armed hostilities” in Syria’s northeast.

READ: Turkey could set up the zone by itself in northern Syria

She added that any sustainable solution to the conflict in Syria requires “genuine political transition in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolution.”On August 7, Turkish and US military officials agreed to set up a safe zone in northern Syria and develop a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return home. They also agreed to establish a joint operations center.

The agreement also envisaged setting up necessary security measures to address Turkey’s security concerns, including clearing the zone of the terrorist YPG/PKK, a group the US has sometimes been allied with, over Turkey’s objections.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is the group’s Syrian branch.

READ: Turkish military enters Syria to begin joint US ‘safe zone’ patrol