Turkish President to meet Russian counterpart on Feb 14

By Ahmet Salih Alacaci

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s President announced on Sunday that he would meet his Russian counterpart on Feb. 14 in the Black Sea town of Sochi.

Speaking in an interview on national television, Recep Tayyip Erdogan underlined that Turkey’s policy on northern Syria focused on the territorial integrity of the war-torn country.

"We don’t advocate the fragmenting of the Syrian people," Erdogan said.

He said that the Peoples’ Democratic Party in Turkey "equaled" the PKK/YPG/PYD terror group.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- recognized as a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG/PYD is the group's Syrian branch.