Turkey Syria Kurds WEB
Metadata
- Turkey Syria Kurds WEB
- June 7, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TURKEY SYRIA KURDS HEADLINE: Erdogan Vows Military Op Against US Kurdish Ally in Syria TEASER: Despite Washington's warnings. Turkish forces are poised to attack US Syrian-Kurdish ally, as Ankara uses NATO enlargement veto as leverage PUBLISHED AT: 6/7/2022 AT 11:30am BYLINE: Dorian Jones CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Istanbul VIDEOGRAPHER: Berke Bas DO NOT USE NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS, Agencies PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS VIDEO SOURCE (S): Original, AFP PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:56 VID APPROVED BY: MAS TYPE: TVPKG UPDATE:)) ((INTRO)) [[Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a major military operation against a US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria who Ankara considers terrorists. Analysts say Turkey believes it's in a strong position given that Washington needs Turkey to lift its threats to veto Sweden and Finland’s bids to join NATO. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.]] ((NARRATOR)) The Turkish army continues to build up on the Syrian border ahead of an operation targeting Kurdish forces of the YPG group. Ankara designates the YPG as terrorists linked to the PKK insurgent group that is fighting Turkey. Until now, Ankara has been constrained because American forces are fighting with the YPG against the Islamic State group. Washington is warning against any operation. But with the United States needing Turkey's support to admit Sweden and Finland into NATO, Ankara sees an opportunity. [[RADIO VERSION: Sinan Ulgen is an analyst with the Centre for Economics & Foreign Policy Studies, an Istanbul think tank.]] ((Sinan Ulgen, Centre for Economics & Foreign Policy Studies - male in English) ORIGINAL)) ((Mandatory cg: Skype)) “Turkey believes that diplomatically it is in a strong position at a time when the members of the NATO alliance will need Turkey to give a green light to NATO enlargement and therefore the possible criticism that this will trigger in the West will also be more limited.” ((NARRATOR)) The operation seeks to expand Turkey's control of Syrian territory on its border. But in a bid to minimize tensions with Washington, the scope of the assault was reduced to avoid areas where American forces are present—instead focusing on Russian and Damascus regime-controlled areas, where the YPG also operates. But analysts warn major risks remain. [[RADIO VERSION: Soli Ozel teaches international relations at Istanbul’s Kadir Has University.]] ((Soli Ozel, Kadir Has University. ((male in English - VOA ORIGINAL)) “There is no question that Damascus will not be very happy, but it may not be strong enough to object. But if the Russians do not allow Turkey to use airspace, then it will be very costly and may be impossible for this operation to succeed. In addition to that, Iran is extraordinarily unhappy with any Turkish intervention. They have declared this, and the Russians are now speaking with both sides of their mouth actually.” ((NARRATOR)) With Erdogan refusing to impose sanctions on Russia over Ukraine, Ankara retains leverage over Moscow. Initially, Moscow appeared sympathetic but is now voicing concerns over Turkey's intentions in Syria. During planned talks Wednesday in Ankara, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to drive a hard bargain for a green light to a Turkish Syrian operation, which analysts say will add to Washington's concerns. [[RADIO VERSION: Aaron Stein, with the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute.] ((Aaron Stein, Foreign Policy Research Institute - male in English)) ((Mandatory cg: Skype)) “Any operation threatens instability and likely entails trade-offs that the Turks will make with the Russians on a bilateral basis. And so, this is a time when Washington would like to isolate Russia. And so, even bringing this in as part of a Syrian operation is something Washington would not like to see.” ((NARRATOR)) With President Erdogan languishing in the polls as he faces re-election next year, any Syrian operation - analysts say - will likely play well with his voters. ((Dorian Jones, for VOA News, Istanbul))
- Transcript/Script USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TURKEY SYRIA KURDS HEADLINE: Erdogan Vows Military Op Against US Kurdish Ally in Syria TEASER: Despite Washington's warnings. Turkish forces are poised to attack US Syrian-Kurdish ally, as Ankara uses NATO enlargement veto as leverage PUBLISHED AT: 6/7/2022 AT 11:30am BYLINE: Dorian Jones CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Istanbul VIDEOGRAPHER: Berke Bas DO NOT USE NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS, Agencies PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS VIDEO SOURCE (S): Original, AFP PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:56 VID APPROVED BY: MAS TYPE: TVPKG UPDATE:)) ((INTRO)) [[Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a major military operation against a US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria who Ankara considers terrorists. Analysts say Turkey believes it's in a strong position given that Washington needs Turkey to lift its threats to veto Sweden and Finland’s bids to join NATO. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.]] ((NARRATOR)) The Turkish army continues to build up on the Syrian border ahead of an operation targeting Kurdish forces of the YPG group. Ankara designates the YPG as terrorists linked to the PKK insurgent group that is fighting Turkey. Until now, Ankara has been constrained because American forces are fighting with the YPG against the Islamic State group. Washington is warning against any operation. But with the United States needing Turkey's support to admit Sweden and Finland into NATO, Ankara sees an opportunity. [[RADIO VERSION: Sinan Ulgen is an analyst with the Centre for Economics & Foreign Policy Studies, an Istanbul think tank.]] ((Sinan Ulgen, Centre for Economics & Foreign Policy Studies - male in English) ORIGINAL)) ((Mandatory cg: Skype)) “Turkey believes that diplomatically it is in a strong position at a time when the members of the NATO alliance will need Turkey to give a green light to NATO enlargement and therefore the possible criticism that this will trigger in the West will also be more limited.” ((NARRATOR)) The operation seeks to expand Turkey's control of Syrian territory on its border. But in a bid to minimize tensions with Washington, the scope of the assault was reduced to avoid areas where American forces are present—instead focusing on Russian and Damascus regime-controlled areas, where the YPG also operates. But analysts warn major risks remain. [[RADIO VERSION: Soli Ozel teaches international relations at Istanbul’s Kadir Has University.]] ((Soli Ozel, Kadir Has University. ((male in English - VOA ORIGINAL)) “There is no question that Damascus will not be very happy, but it may not be strong enough to object. But if the Russians do not allow Turkey to use airspace, then it will be very costly and may be impossible for this operation to succeed. In addition to that, Iran is extraordinarily unhappy with any Turkish intervention. They have declared this, and the Russians are now speaking with both sides of their mouth actually.” ((NARRATOR)) With Erdogan refusing to impose sanctions on Russia over Ukraine, Ankara retains leverage over Moscow. Initially, Moscow appeared sympathetic but is now voicing concerns over Turkey's intentions in Syria. During planned talks Wednesday in Ankara, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to drive a hard bargain for a green light to a Turkish Syrian operation, which analysts say will add to Washington's concerns. [[RADIO VERSION: Aaron Stein, with the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute.] ((Aaron Stein, Foreign Policy Research Institute - male in English)) ((Mandatory cg: Skype)) “Any operation threatens instability and likely entails trade-offs that the Turks will make with the Russians on a bilateral basis. And so, this is a time when Washington would like to isolate Russia. And so, even bringing this in as part of a Syrian operation is something Washington would not like to see.” ((NARRATOR)) With President Erdogan languishing in the polls as he faces re-election next year, any Syrian operation - analysts say - will likely play well with his voters. ((Dorian Jones, for VOA News, Istanbul))
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date June 7, 2022 11:39 EDT
- Byline Dorian Jones
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America