Sputnik Turkey cited media reports suggesting that the United States is allegedly going to give political recognition to the Federation of Northern Syria, unilaterally proclaimed by the PYD, as well as create a new military structure called the Army of Northern Syria, which will include Kurdish self-defense units (YPG).
Ebdulkerim Omer, a co-chairman of the Council for Foreign Policy, which was proclaimed by the Party of the Democratic Union of the Jazira Region, told Sputnik in an interview that the Federation of Northern Syria maintains good relations with the US and intends to develop them in the future.
"The official recognition of the Federation of Northern Syria by the US will take time. This is a diplomatic issue and cannot be achieved immediately. But the process that is taking place right now is inherently a recognition,” Omer said.
He further said that the US will be staying in the region for some time. “The US will remain in the north of Syria for many years. The fact is that they will assist in the restoration of the destroyed territories and in the issues related to the return of refugees.”
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According to the co-chairman, the US will also help in the matter of ensuring security along the border.
“We want the US to stay in the region. Our relations and cooperation with the United States will continue,” he said.
“The Syrian people expected that the United States would leave Syria after Daesh ceased its operations. But this terrorist organization has not yet been completely destroyed and it is not the only source of terrorism. Terrorism will continue to exist for a long time,” Omar told Sputnik Turkey.
According to the co-chairman, the democratic autonomous administration of northern Syria is thinking about how to resolve the Syrian crisis, restore stability and peace in the country.
Omar said that terrorism cannot be defeated only by military methods. “We propose our own solutions to the Syrian problem, we are in favor of creating a federation on the Syrian territory,” he said.
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In turn, a spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mustafa Balli, told Sputnik Turkey that there is no activity going on to create a new Army of Northern Syria, and the reports that have appeared in the media do not correspond with the reality on the ground.
An unnamed senior Western official earlier told the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that Washington is planning “concrete steps” toward providing a Syrian Democratic Forces-controlled area in northern Syria's eastern Euphrates territory three times the size of Lebanon with diplomatic recognition.
Last week, it was reported that a new 'North Syrian Army,' which included SDF formations and backed by the US-led coalition, was created to perform 'border security duties' in territories under their control. Local media said that the militias would guard areas along the region's northern border with Turkey.
Relations between Turkey and Washington have been tense since Ankara repeatedly slammed the US for its arms supplies to the Kurdish militia.
In December 2017, the US announced the termination of arms supplies to the Kurdish People's Protection Units, as was earlier promised to the Turkish leadership, but Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz told Sputnik that Washington was yet to prove it is actually curbing arms supplies with documented evidence, as statements from the White House continued to differ on the issue.
The views and opinions expressed by Ebdulkerim Omer and Mustafa Balli are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
