now to get an in-depth look into the situation on developing in northeastern
Syria involving Turkey the Kurds US and now Russia we have in the studio the
Turkish ambassador to South Korea ambassador ursin welcome to the program
now help us understand the situation better and of course I'll be playing the
devil's advocate against you and you can be playing in favor of you so explain to
us the latest development involving this part of the region about the Putin arrow
in agreement oh well thank you very much for inviting me to this program first
first of all I'd like to make it clear that this operation is not against Kurds
Kurds are used deliberately perhaps by the world media but Turkey is fighting
against terrorism in the region another thing we are observing with a huge
disappointment the Western media circles are conducting a campaign since the
beginning of operation against Turkey and pool of slanders lies and distorted
facts what is going on in the region let me briefly explain nothing started
yesterday or one week before everything has started so many years ago turkey is
fighting against PKK terrorism since 1983 PKK is an internationally
recognized terrorist organization by the United States by European Union and by
many other states in the last eight nine years since the beginning of beginning
of the internal war in the region in Syria this group the branch of this
group so-called PYD YPG and with newly coined name Syria democratic forces
whatever the name change happens they are the same terrorist organization
the Syrian branch the PKK related organizations YPG PYD a Syrian
democratic forces started taking the northern pocket of Syria under control
under the pretext of fighting - unfortunately allies the United States
equipped them with heavy weaponry but their design was much more than fighting
- to create say a terror corridor it was their main objective they conducted
three over 300 attacks on turkey from Syria Syria they attacked on the Syrian
Kurds they attacked on Syrian Arabs and 500,000 people fled the region because
of them so we are not talking about the Kurds we are talking about the
terrorists in the northern Syria secondly turkey is not invading Syria
which is a totally you know misleading idea
unfortunately this perception is created by the Western media northern Syria as
is under the occupation of terrorists turkey is trying to click cleanse this
region from the terrorists so with the full you know due to the showing full
respect to the territorial integrity of Syria so first of all you know
protecting our national security protecting the territorial integrity of
Syria and we are hosting currently three and a half million Syrian refugees we
are also going to facilitate their voluntary and you know safe return to
their homes by creating a safe zone in the northern Syria that is the truth
right so but there of course like you said that this is an area that's in your
argument that it's wrongly shaped by the Western media however there are those
who argue that why is it now that Turkey has decided to campaign or to launch
this opera raishin in this region why is it now
number two SDF he talked about this this militants that Turkey views as a
terrorist group SDF are these not the group that helped
the US and the us-led forces fight against Isis which is a terrorist group
against the world number three in your operation in this area is it not true
that more than two hundred civilians were killed in this operation
that's what are some factors that though that the entire world are worried about
is that not true well not true first of all the first
thing is those information are not true why now nothing has started today or
yesterday I'm telling you turkey is fighting against this terrorist group
with whatever their name changes since 1983 and since eight nine years there is
an serious you know clash in Syria and power vacuum the - try to fill that
power vacuum and a serious die is fight against - under the international
coalition took place in the region including turkey a turkey is the
fiercest fighter against - together with the United States and the international
forces and but since some time you know again due to the power vacuum in the
region the PKK related group of Syria democratic forces with a new name or YPG
or PYD try to take control most of the northern part of Syria under the pretext
of fighting - and the United States although they recognize PKK as a as a
terrorist organization although they confess it that Syria democratic forces
YPD whip a YPG is the extension Syrian branch of PKK they use them the Kurds
are the Kurdish terrorists there are fighting a
turkey since 1983 I was in Syria at the time in 90s the the Syrian government at
that time they used them against us then they were used by Russia then they were
used by United States so they are ready to be used by everyone
after the operation has started they changed their rank and now they are
talking with the Syrian regime which is not the regime so unfortunately this is
a very strategic region it's open to the influence of the major powers there are
very much static designs and games are continuing over the region and why now
because a despite our repeated warnings United States continued to equip them
with the heavy equipment you know to use them against daesh and turkeys in the
border with we have 911 kilometers border turkey is the country which will
fight against daesh any way they will they continued on their so-far
and despite our repeated warnings the united states did not take any measure
and we were compelled to take action to clean our borders from the terrorists
which occupied the Syrian territory and civilian did this is completely
fabricated Turkish army is one of the two or three armies in the world we are
working at a most highly technological you know devices there is no one single
casualty those terrorists used Armenian Church they used mosques they use Church
to open fire to Turkey just to call civilian civilian casualties but I can't
I assure you lady there is no one single casualty
they killed the people and they said they accuse Turkey it's a slender
right well I'm sure this can be argued by many different sides but with all due
respect ambassador with all due respect I have another question which we need to
make it very brief because we are over time now that President Putin and air
do--and have signed an engagement there are also concerns that would this not
give a rise of power or power to Syria and president perhaps another round of
power to pressure alassad of some sort which is something that you know that is
fearful for the Syrian people well who wants to change the territorial
integrity and political unity of Syria if everyone respects the territorial
integrity and political unity of Syria they should respect the agreement
reached today between my president and President Putin which was also in
approved by the Syrian regime it's their territory
whatever the regime's reputation is this everything will happen within the
borders of Syria I'm not talking about the regime that territory belongs to the
Syrian people and such a agreement reached a few hours and which will be
implemented today as of noon I think an hundred and fifty hours the time period
YPG terrorist elements will be wiped out of the safe zone of 30 kilometers this
agreement has yet another proof the Turkish rightful cause you know for the
joint statement bearish with the United States we want to create a safe zone to
pour our security for the territorial integrity of Syria and to facilitate the
return safe and voluntary returns of the Syrian refugees in Turkey I do not see
any point of strengthening the regime no this is Syria this is Syrian territorial
integrity and Russia and Turkey and United States and all the parties state
parties should respect that well thank you so much for your insights
today and for your take from your government and we as a South Korean
people we as blood brothers of Turkey the South Korean people would like to
you know hope that there are no conflict free of conflicts in that zone and any
kind of military conflict in the area for you and for you people and for the
Syrian people and for people in that area best of luck to you
and thank you so much and I hope that we have another opportunity to have this
discussion again thank you very much for giving this opportunity to me today
thank you