Syria responds to Turkey's reference to 1998 deal by urging military withdrawal
DAMASCUS
Syria has called on Turkey to withdraw its troops from the country’s north and end support for armed opposition groups in order to revive a two-decade old bilateral security agreement.
Russia had encouraged Turkey and Syria to refer to the Adana Treaty to deal with security concerns along their shared borders in the wake of the planned U.S troop withdrawal from northern Syria.
Turkey says the 1998 treaty gives it the right to move into Syria, justifying its troop deployment in the country and a possible new offensive designed to push out the YPG that Ankara considers a terrorist organization.
Russia says Damascus should regain control of territories after U.S. troops withdraw and urged Turkey to talk to the Syrian government to stabilize the border areas.
