Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed with his French counterpart President Emmanuel Macron recent developments in Syria and Turkish-American arrangement of the northern city of Manbij.
Sources said that Erdogan held a phone conversation with Macron on Saturday during which he discussed bilateral relations and several regional and international issues, particularly the Syrian file and Manbij.
A roadmap was recently reached between Ankara and Washington that stipulates the withdrawal of elements of the US-backed Kurdish-majority People's Protection Units (YPG)to east of the Euphrates River. The two sides also agreed to deploying joint military patrols and surveillance until a local administration is formed.
Both Macron and Erdogan discussed ways to cooperate in combating terrorism and resolving refugee issues.
Turkey has already expressed opposition towards French presence in Manbjj after American-French patrols had scaled some areas in northern Syria, including Manbij.
Turkey and the US agreed during a meeting attended by military delegations from both countries at the US headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany on June 12 and 13, on executive steps for the Manbij roadmap.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the roadmap aims to remove Kurdish units from Manbij.
He added that the roadmap will take 90 days to implement.
He confirmed in a television interview that after the Kurdish withdrawal, Manbij will be handed over to the city administration, which answers to a local council.
As for the future of the Syrian refugees in Turkey, Yildirim said that “no solution has been found in Syria so far, but Syrians have started to return to their country.”
“Certainly, they will return to their homeland after the end of the war, and when conditions are favorable,” he said, citing cited the return of between 50,000 and 60,000 Syrians to Afrin, which borders Turkey.
