Erdoğan Questions Focus On Kobani, Calls On Coalition To Act In Other Areas

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has criticized the US-led coalition attacks that are mainly conducted in Kobani, saying the campaign against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) should focus on other areas in Iraq and Syria as well.

Adressing a joint press meeting with his French counterpart, François Hollande, on Friday, Erdoğan said he cannot understand the reason why the attacks of international coalition focus mostly on Kobani instead of Syrian city of Hama, Homs or Iraq.

He noted that Turkey houses 200 000 Syrians from Kobani and asked why coalition hits ISIL targets in Kobani while there are only 2000 fighters defending the town.

In a major policy shift, Turkey has allowed peshmerga cross into Kobani to help Kurdish forces. The US military recently air-dropped weapons, ammunition and military supplies to the Kurdish forces in Kobani.

Erdoğan criticized the coalition for ignoring the terrorist acts of Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and said it is not possible to fight against ISIL when coalition does not stand against the regime.

Turkey has prioritized the removal of Assad rather than focusing on the immediate threat of ISIL. Turkish officials view the Assad regime as the main factor in the creation of an environment that enabled the emergence of radical groups such as ISIL. But the US and other Western countries have made clear that removing the Assad regime from power is not a priority.

Erdoğan reiterated that Turkey will be part of the anti-ISIL campaign if coalition meets three conditions including the establishment of a no-fly zone, a secure zone and training moderate Syrian opposition.

In supportive remarks, Hollande said Turkey and France shares same views on acts against ISIL and noted that there are other cities other than Kobani that the coalition should focus as well. Hollande also supported the tree conditions that Turkey says necessary in deterring the terrorist group.

During the meeting, Erdoğan denied the claims that Turkey supports ISIL. Turkey has been severely criticized over its reluctance to join the campaign against ISIL, which also causes major protests in the country.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu warned on Friday against Saturday demonstrations to be held in solidarity with the besieged Syrian town of Kobani, saying the disruption of public order will not be tolerated.

“Resorting to violence to seek rights cannot be accepted anywhere in the world. Instructions have been sent to all my governors. The disruption of public order will not be allowed in any way,” Davutoğlu told reporters.

He was responding to a question about a call from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) for supporters to take to the streets to join solidarity demonstrations on “world Kobani day.” Davutoğlu said it was time for the HDP to prove that it is a “peaceful political party.”

Violent protests against ISIL onslaught on Kobani and the government's reluctance to help Kobani's defense killed nearly 40 people across Turkey earlier this month. The HDP was then criticized by Erdoğan and government officials for its call for street protests to show solidarity with the people of Kobani.

“This shows that no lesson has been learned from what happened,” Davutoğlu said, in reference to the HDP's latest call for street demonstrations.

“Calls for street demonstrations, despite the fact that there is opportunity to resolve problems peacefully, are not legal or good intentioned. They are also harmful to the sincere efforts we have carried out so far for a settlement,” Davutoğlu also said.

In the meantime, a representative of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in France held a press conference in Paris on Wednesday calling on France to pressure Turkey into allowing reinforcements to reach the besieged town of Kobani in Syria during Erdoğan's visit.

Turkey considers the PYD, a Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a terrorist organization. However, the US says that according to US law the PYD is not a terrorist organization.

Khaled Issa, the PYD's representative in France, accused the Turkish government of preventing direct assistance to the resistance and of secretly supporting the ISIL militants.

According to a story by Radio France International (RFI), Issa said, “We are counting on the wisdom of President Hollande to convince Mr. Erdoğan to break off relations with the terrorists and stop preventing direct assistance to the resistance.”

Issa called on Hollande to convince Erdoğan to order the establishment of a corridor between Kobani and other parts of Syria controlled by the PYD but Turkey has already allowed a corridor for the Kurdish peshmerga forces crossing into Kobani through Turkish territory. The first group of peshmerga forces entered Kobani on Thursday from Turkey. The initial number of peshmerga forces who are scheduled to enter Kobani from Turkey is estimated to be 150, but this number may increase in the coming days. (Cihan/Today's Zaman)

SHOTLIST
FRANCE, PARIS, 31 OCT 2014

Arrival of Erdoğan
Hollande welcomes his counterpart with an official ceremony
Turkish and French flags
Erdoğan an Hollande comes to the press conference hall
VAR of Erdoğan's statements

DURATION: 03:43