French President Emmanuel Macron told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday that a UN call at the weekend for a ceasefire across Syria also applied to Syria’s Afrin region. Turkey deployed special police forces to the northwestern Syrian region of Afrin on Monday for a “new battle” as its five-week campaign against the Kurdish YPG militia continues, Reuters reports. Macron also told Erdogan in a phone call that it was imperative that the ceasefire be fully respected. The French leader added that France’s monitoring of humanitarian access and chemical weapons is “total and permanent,” Macron’s office said. </s> PARIS, Feb 26 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday told his Turkish counterpart that a U.N. call at the weekend for a ceasefire across Syria also applied to Syria’s Afrin region.

Turkey deployed police special forces to the northwestern Syrian region of Afrin on Monday for a “new battle” in its five-week campaign against the Kurdish YPG militia.

Macron also told Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call that it was imperative that the cease-fire be fully respected and added that France’s monitoring of humanitarian access and chemical weapons is “total and permanent,” Macron’s office said in a statement. (Reporting by Ingrid Melander Editing by Richard Lough) </s> French President Emmanuel Macron told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday that the latest UN ceasefire vote applied to all Syrian territory, including the Kurdish-held enclave of Afrin, where Turkey is waging an offensive.

During a telephone call between the two leaders, Macron said the 30-day ceasefire “involved all Syrian territory, including in Afrin, and must be put into effect everywhere and by everyone without delay,” said a statement released by the French presidency.

Macron’s call followed the UN Security Council’s adoption of a resolution Saturday calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria “without delay”, to allow for aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

On Sunday the Turkish government said the UN ceasefire would not affect its operation in the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Afrin, which Ankara claims is aimed at fighting “terrorist organisations that threaten the territorial integrity and political unity of Syria”.

Turkey sees the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which for more than three decades has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state and is banned by Turkey, the US and the European Union as a terror group.

But the offensive has raised tensions with the US, which works closely with the YPG in the fight against jihadists in Syria.

According to sources in the Turkish president’s office, Erdogan told Macron that measures were being taken to avoid civilian casualties in Afrin.

Erdogan also reiterated that the offensive was aimed at “clearing terrorists” from the area so that Syrian refugees could return to their country.

On Monday, the Turkish government said it had deployed special forces in Afrin in anticipation of a “new fight” against the YPG.

Macron also told Erdogan he was “deeply worried” about the bombardments of Eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus, saying France would remain “vigilant” concerning humanitarian access to the area and any use of chemical weapons.

The French leader’s phone call came hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a “humanitarian pause” in Eastern Ghouta starting Tuesday.

The Syrian Observatory said one child died and at least 13 other people suffered breathing difficulties in an Eastern Ghouta village after a suspected chemical attack on Sunday.

Earlier this month Macron warned that France would carry out strikes against the government of President Bashar al-Assad if proof emerges that it has used banned chemical weapons against civilians.

More than 500 people have been reported killed in the bombing campaign by Assad’s forces over the course of a week. </s> PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday told his Turkish counterpart that a U.N. Security Council call at the weekend for a ceasefire across Syria also applied to Syria's Afrin region.

Turkey deployed police special forces to the northwestern Syrian region of Afrin on Monday for a "new battle" in its five-week campaign against the Kurdish YPG militia.

 "The President of the Republic stressed that the humanitarian truce applied to all of Syria, including Afrin, and should be implemented everywhere and by all without any delay to stop the ongoing spiral of violence that could lead to a regional explosion and push away any hope of a political solution," Macron's office said in a statement.

 Macron told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call on Monday morning that France's monitoring of humanitarian access and chemical weapons was "total and permanent".

 The Security Council voted unanimously to demand a 30-day truce to allow for aid access and medical evacuations. Yet while Moscow backed adopting the resolution, Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia cast doubt on its feasibility.

 Macron also told Erdogan that he was worried about recent events off the coast of Cyprus, stressing "the need to respect Cyprus' sovereignty", the statement said.

 Cyprus accused Turkey on Friday of threatening to use force against a drillship chartered by Italy's, in a standoff over hydrocarbons rights in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

 (Reporting by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Richard Lough/Mark Heinrich) </s> French President Emmanuel Macron told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday that a proposed UN ceasefire for Syria must be applied across the country, including in Afrin where Turkey is waging an offensive against a Kurdish militia.

During a telephone call between the two leaders, Macron said the 30-day ceasefire "involved all Syrian territory, including in Afrin, and must be put into effect everywhere and by everyone without delay", the French presidency said.

He added that Turkey, Russia and Iran, the three countries overseeing talks in Astana aimed at ending the nearly seven-year civil war, "have a direct responsibility in this regard that must be applied on the ground".

Ankara last month launched an offensive against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in Afrin in northern Syria.

On Sunday the Turkish government said the proposed UN ceasefire would not affect its operation, which it claims is aimed at fighting "terrorist organisations that threaten the territorial integrity and political unity of Syria".

Turkey sees the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which for more than three decades has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state and is banned by Turkey, the US and the European Union as a terror group.

But the offensive has raised tensions with Washington, which works closely with the YPG in the fight against jihadists in Syria.

The Syrian conflict has intensified with attacks by Damascus on the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, with at least 10 civilians killed in the area on Monday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group.

Macron told Erdogan he was "deeply worried" about the bombardments of Eastern Ghouta, saying France would remain "vigilant" concerning humanitarian access to the area and any use of chemical weapons.

On Saturday the UN Security Council approved a resolution calling for the ceasefire "without delay" to allow for aid deliveries and medical evacuations in Eastern Ghouta. </s> PARIS (Reuters) - France on Monday said that Russia had to use its influence on the Syrian government to ensure it kept to a U.N.-backed nationwide ceasefire, and told Turkey the truce also applied to its operations against Kurdish militants in the Afrin region.

French President Emmanuel Macron addresses a news conference during European Union leaders informal summit in Brussels, Belgium, February 23, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Two days after a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire across the country, Syria’s army and its allies have continued their assault on the rebel-held enclave of eastern Ghouta near Damascus, and Turkey deployed police special forces to the northwestern Syrian region of Afrin on Monday for a “new battle” against the Kurdish YPG militia.

“The president ... stressed that the humanitarian truce applied to all of Syria, including Afrin, and should be implemented everywhere and by all without any delay,” Macron’s office said after a call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

Macron accused Syrian government forces of violating the U.N. resolution as attacks continued on hospitals and civilians in eastern Ghouta, and said the spiral of violence had to end before it led to a wider regional conflict.

“Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, must now assume all its responsibilities towards the Syrian regime it supports,” the statement said.

Macron’s foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, travels to Russia on Tuesday to seek common ground on how to ensure this truce, unlike others, is implemented, French diplomats said.

French officials said Le Drian would discuss a document drawn up by Britain, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United States that makes recommendations to revive U.N.-led peace talks, with what they called a “practical approach” to what would be a slow political process.

“We have the tragic events in eastern Ghouta and are possibly preparing for other tragedies in Idlib and Afrin,” said a diplomatic source. “All that is in the context of the political dynamic in Geneva being bogged down, so this is one of the few documents that could create a consensus.”

The Security Council voted unanimously to demand a truce to allow aid access and medical evacuations. While Moscow backed the resolution, Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia cast doubt on its feasibility.

Macron also told Erdogan that he was worried about recent events off the coast of Cyprus, stressing “the need to respect Cyprus’s sovereignty”, the statement said.

Cyprus accused Turkey on Friday of threatening to use force against a drillship chartered by Italy’s Eni, in a standoff over hydrocarbon rights in the eastern Mediterranean. </s> President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron discussed the United Nations Security Council's ceasefire resolution and the recent developments in Syria in a phone call Monday.

The two leaders welcomed the U.N.-backed ceasefire in eastern Ghouta and agreed that it must be implemented immediately.

Despite the resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire, Assad regime bombardment of the opposition enclave has persisted.

Erdoğan also shared the latest developments in Turkey's ongoing Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin with Macron and told the French president that refugees will be able to return to their homes after the terrorist elements are cleared from the area.

The Cyprus dispute was also mentioned during the call as the sources said Erdoğan reiterated Turkey and Northern Cyprus's sensitivities over the hydrocarbon resources off the east Mediterranean island.

Turkey blames the Greek Cypriots for ignoring the rights of the Turkish side to the island's natural resources by continuing with unilateral hydrocarbon exploration activities. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected Emmanuel Macron's call for dialogue between Turkey and Kurds

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected France's offer to mediate in northern Syria, saying he is "saddened" by its position.

"We have no need for mediation," he said. "We are extremely saddened by France's... wrong stance on this."

Turkey is battling to drive out the Kurdish YPG militia, which it sees as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In a speech in Ankara, Mr Erdogan rebutted France's call for dialogue.

"Since when has Turkey been sitting down at the table with terror organisations?" he said. "You can sit down at the table with terror organisations but Turkey will continue its fight against terror."

France says the YPG has no direct organisational links to the PKK, which Turkey says is a terror group.

Earlier on Friday, a spokesman for Mr Erdogan said countries should take a "clear stance against all types of terrorism".

"We reject any efforts to promote 'dialogue', 'contact' or 'mediation' between Turkey and those terrorist organisations," the spokesman said.

What's behind the French offer?

President Emmanuel Macron had met members of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), including the YPG and expressed hopes for dialogue between Turkey and the militia.

His office said he had "paid tribute to the sacrifices and the determining role" of the SDF in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters in Afrin

The SDF is a key US ally in the fight against IS and the Kurdish YPG forms a core part of it.

France and the US have given the militia weapons and training to support its battle against IS.

The president said France would support the "stabilisation" of the security zone in north-east Syria to stop IS regaining strength.

Kurdish officials said Mr Macron had committed himself to sending more troops to the area but Paris declined to comment on that.

France has suffered a series of deadly terror attacks claimed by IS in recent years, including the Paris attacks which killed 130 people in 2015.

A week ago an IS sympathiser killed three people in a rampage in southern France, including a police officer who died after swapping places with a hostage.

How dangerous is the conflict in northern Syria?

Earlier this month Turkey ousted Kurdish fighters from the Syrian-Kurdish city of Afrin. Activists said 280 civilians had been killed, although this was denied by Ankara.

As many as a quarter of a million civilians are said to have fled the city.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Footage shows destroyed statues and flags being raised in the centre of Afrin

Turkey has since threatened to attack the SDF-controlled town of Manbij, which was taken from IS in 2016 - and where the US has stationed troops.

The Turkish national security council issued an ultimatum on Wednesday, saying it would act if Kurdish fighters did not leave immediately.

Elsewhere in Syria, Turkey said five soldiers were killed and seven wounded in an attack by the PKK in the south-eastern province of Siirt.

The attack, the deadliest by the PKK for months, is likely to be in revenge for Turkey's offensive in northern Syria, BBC Turkey correspondent Mark Lowen reports. </s> Istanbul/Paris:Turkey forcefully rejected on Wednesday Western calls to suspend its offensive in northwest Syria, saying the United States misunderstood the extent of a UN ceasefire resolution and accusing France of giving “false information” on the issue.

Ankara has said the United Nations resolution demanding a 30-day ceasefire across Syria does not apply to its five-week-old military operation in Afrin against the Kurdish YPG militia, which Turkey says is a terrorist group.

In strongly worded statements to two NATO allies, Turkey’s foreign ministry spokesman said a US State Department appeal that Turkey “go back and read” the ceasefire resolution was unfounded, and he also denied that Paris had told Ankara that the truce also applied to its Afrin campaign.

On Monday French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said he had told Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan that the UN demand “applied to all of Syria, including Afrin, and should be implemented everywhere and by all without any delay”.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy challenged that account, saying Macron did not specifically mention Afrin in their telephone conversation about the ceasefire resolution.

“Our reaction regarding the error of giving false information to the public was conveyed to French authorities,” Aksoy said.

The UN Security Council resolution demands all parties “cease hostilities without delay ... for a durable humanitarian pause for at least 30 consecutive days throughout Syria”.

It does not apply to military operations against Islamic State, al Qaeda and groups associated with them or other groups designated as terrorist organisations by the Security Council.

Turkey says the YPG militia which controls Afrin is an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party, which is deemed a terrorist group by the United States and European Union. The YPG is not designated as a terrorist group by the Security Council.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters on Tuesday that Turkey should read the ceasefire resolution, to “see what the world... is saying about this”.

Aksoy said the resolution did not specifically mention Afrin, and Turkey’s operation there was “a fight that is carried out against the terrorist organisations that target Turkey’s national security and Syria’s unity”.

Nauert’s statement “is unfounded and it shows that they are not able to understand the focus of the resolution, or they want to distort it”, Aksoy said.

US support for the YPG militia in north Syria has pushed relations between Turkey and the United States to crisis point. Ankara says that after Afrin it will target the Syrian town of Manbij, where YPG and US forces are deployed together. Reuters.
French President Emmanuel Macron phones Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, telling Erdoğan that the UN-approved ceasefire in Syria also applies in the Afrin Region.