Poland hopeful for solution with Turkey on Baltics

Mehmet Yilmaz and Askin Kiyagan

LONDON (AA) - Poland's president on Tuesday said he hopes NATO and Turkey will find a solution on the alliance's deployment in the Baltics.

"I talked to [Turkish] President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan the day before and I hope that we will find a good solution to this issue," said Andrzej Duda, speaking at the conference NATO Engages: Innovating the Alliance.

Reluctant to back NATO defense plans for Poland and the Baltics ahead of the summit, Turkey has taken issue with the alliance failing to recognize the threat it faces in northern Syria from the YPG/PKK terror group along its southern border.

"NATO must act in a way that will meet the concerns of all allies. What is wanted for the Baltics should be wanted for us too," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last week.

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak