Expert evaluates Erdoğan's signal for cross-border operation: 'Operation could be conducted in January'

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the commemoration ceremony held for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at the Atatürk Supreme Council of Culture, Language and History. Signaling a cross-border operation, Erdoğan said, "Hopefully, in the coming period, we will complete the missing links of the safe zone we have created along our borders." International Relations Expert Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kasım Han shared the details of the potential cross-border operation with 12 Punto. 

“AMERICAN VETO WILL BE LIFTED”

Stating that he expected this announcement from President Erdoğan, Prof. Dr. Han said, “This statement did not surprise me because this was Ankara's most important expectation if Trump were elected. That is, for the US to sever its relationship with the YPG-PKK and to stop providing that support. There is an understanding in Ankara that this expectation will be met. Because until today, Turkey could not fill the gaps referred to by the President following the operations it carried out in Northern Syria due to an active or implicit American veto. Therefore, these expressions reflect that this veto will now be lifted.”

“OPERATION COULD BE CONDUCTED IN MID-JANUARY”

Pointing to the date of the operation, Prof. Dr. Han stated, “Trump is not yet in power, and he will not begin his new term until January. But a transition period is anticipated in the American system; that transition period has begun as of today, and there is a transition team that will manage the transition on behalf of Trump. I believe Ankara is maintaining its dialogue because of that transition, and I assume they have received certain signals from there. Therefore, while Biden is still responsible for the Pentagon, as a result of the negotiations and discussions held with that transition team, Turkey will either start this business in mid-January or will take these steps within the coming period. In other words, an operation could be conducted towards mid-January. This will emerge entirely as a result of the dialogue to be maintained with the Trump administration. Even if the gaps in between are filled based on that famous 40 km depth, it will be valuable in terms of putting distance between Turkey and this terrorist formation in Syria.”

“US AND TURKEY WILL DRAW CLOSER”

Speaking about the course of the diplomatic relations Turkey will conduct with this operation, Prof. Dr. Han said, “At this point, the US and Turkey will draw closer. It is expected that Syria and Russia will also be informed about the matter. In fact, it seems to me that Russia being at a point where it says 'yes, you can do this' is an important prerequisite. I would also evaluate it as something they are doing to open a kind of empty space in their own relations with Turkey.”