ANAKARA – A US-brokered ceasefire to end the Turkish offensive on Kurdishforces in Syria link is avictory for President Recep Tayyip Erdoganlink but could beshort-lived without an agreementlink with Damascuslink ally Russialink, say analysts.
After US Vice President Mike Pence held talks with Erdoganlink on Thursday,the NATO link alliesannounced a five-day suspension of the Turkish operation and the withdrawalfrom link borderlink areas of a Syrianlink Kurdish militiaviewed by Ankara link as”terrorists”.
Erdogan won his key demands to sweep Kurdish fighters away and set up a”safe zone” that is 32-kilometres (20 miles) wide but whose length is yetto be defined.
The Turkish leader wants the area to extend eventually to 444 kilometres.
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But whether the agreementlink holds depends onnegotiations with Russialink, which providescritical backing to Syrianlink leader Basharal-Assad.
“Turkey link looks like ashort-term winner because of the factthat Ankaralink was able to breakthe YPG-US ties,” said Soner Cagaptay,director for Turkeylink at the Washingtonlink Institute forNear East Policy.
