Turkish foreign minister meets US counterpart

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his American counterpart Mike Pompeo met in the U.S. capital on Monday.

Cavusoglu, who came to Washington Sunday for the first official meeting with Secretary of State Pompeo, arrived at the U.S. State Department earlier in the day.

Presence of the YPG/PKK terror group in the Syrian city of Manbij and the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, the leader of the Fetullah Terrost Organization (FETO), are expected to top the agenda.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Earlier, Cavusoglu had said the implementation of a roadmap for withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the northern Syrian city of Manbij is expected to begin after his meeting with Pompeo.

The roadmap on Manbij is expected to be announced following the meeting with Pompeo, which would focus on the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated YPG terror group from the northern Syrian city and regional stability in the region.

The foreign minister also said the U.S. support for the PKK/PYD terrorist organization in Syria is one of the most important issues creating a dispute between Ankara and Washington.

This January Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, northern Syria to clear terrorist groups from the area. After liberating the city of Afrin, Ankara said it might also extend its operation further east to Manbij, unless the PYD/PKK terrorist group leaves the strategically located city.

However, U.S. military support for the terrorist PYD/PKK in Manbij has strained ties between Ankara and Washington, and has led to fears of military clashes between the two NATO allies, since there are roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in the city.

The PKK/PYD is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terror group, which has taken some 40,000 lives in its 30-year war against the Turkish state, including those of women and children.