WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2018 —The complex security environment
in Syria was among the topics that Defense Secretary James N. Mattis and Turkish
Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli discussed Feb. 14 during a meeting at the
NATO defense ministers conference in Brussels, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana
W. White said.
In a statement summarizing the meeting, White said Mattis
met with his Turkish counterpart “to reaffirm the longstanding defense
relationship between the U.S. and our NATO ally, Turkey.”
“Secretary Mattis acknowledged Turkey’s legitimate security
concerns and reiterated our commitment to help Turkey fight the PKK and threat
of insurgency within its borders,” White said. The PKK, also known as the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party, began a campaign of armed violence in 1984 that has
resulted in some 30,000 casualties. Its goal has been to establish an
independent Kurdish state in southeast Turkey, northern Iraq, and parts of Iran
and Syria.
Danger of a Resurgent ISIS
Mattis and Canikli also discussed the complex security
environment in Syria and the danger a resurgent Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
could pose to all NATO allies, White said.
“Secretary Mattis called for a renewed focus on the campaign
to defeat ISIS and prevent any remnants of the terrorist organization from
re-emerging,” White said.Mattis also thanked Canikli for Turkey's contributions
to global security, she said, adding that the two leaders agreed to continue
strengthening U.S.-Turkey defense cooperation.
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