Retreating of YPG from Manbij ‘not enough’, FM Çavuşoğlu says

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Wednesday said retreating of YPG/PKK terrorist group from Syria's Manbij region "will not be enough".

He was speaking at a joint news conference with Lesotho's Foreign Minister Lesego Makgothi in the capital Ankara.

"It will not be enough for YPG to retreat from Manbij. There will be other cities after Manbij," Çavuşoğlu said, referring to Turkey's possible operation in the region in the near future.

When asked about the U.S.' presence in the Syrian city of Manbij and Turkey-U.S. relations, Çavuşoğlu said there has not been an agreement with the U.S. but "an understanding" on stabilizing Manbij and eastern side of the Euphrates River.

"If we reach consensus on a roadmap with the U.S., then we can say we have an agreement. Right now, there is an understanding," Çavuşoğlu said.

On Feb. 16, during then U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to Ankara, the two countries "reached an understanding" to normalize ties following a period of tensions regarding the current situation in Syria.

The terrorist YPG/PKK should first withdraw from Manbij, northern Syria for Turkey to take steps with the U.S. based on trust, Çavuşoğlu had said during the Tillerson's visit.

Asked about Tuesday's phone call with Tillerson, Çavuşoğlu said it was a "farewell" conversation with the outgoing U.S. secretary of state.

"In a time where bilateral relations between the two countries are going through a critical process, Tillerson and I worked together," Çavuşoğlu said. "We had a difference of opinion many times. But this is natural. I wished him success and thanked him for his cooperation and for our friendship."

On March 13, U.S. President Donald Trump named CIA Director Mike Pompeo the next secretary of state.

UPCOMING EU-TURKEY SUMMIT IN BULGARIA

When asked about the upcoming Turkey-EU summit, Çavuşoğlu said Ankara had no expectations about the membership process to the European Union.

"We don't have any expectations about the expansion of the EU or the attitude they have about Turkey," Çavuşoğlu said.

"What we say is that the EU should reconsider all of its policies, regardless of its relations with Turkey. There is a EU right now which does not know what they want or what they are doing."

The EU-Turkey leaders' meeting will take place on March 26 at the Evksinograd residence in Varna, Bulgaria.

It will bring together Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, Boyko Borissov, prime minister of Bulgaria, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, president of Turkey.