Lebanese, Turkish PMs meet in Ankara, discuss Syria, refugees and war on terror

Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, left, and Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri inspect a military honour guard during a welcome ceremony at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018. The two are expected to discuss bilateral relations and Syria. (AP)

BEIRUT: Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim met with his Lebanese counterpart Saad Hariri in Ankara on Wednesday.
In a joint press conference following the meeting, Yildirim spoke in defense of Turkey’s ongoing military operation against Kurdish-led militias inside Syrian territory.
“Operation Olive Branch aims to eliminate terrorism in Afrin,” he said. “We have a longstanding friendship with the Syrian people, and we aim to protect Syria’s unity, prevent cross-border attacks on our country, and protect the safety, lives, and property of Turkish citizens.
“There are terrorist organizations in Afrin — like the PKK and YPG — which are harming Arab, Turkmen, and Kurdish civilians there,” he continued. “We seek to eliminate this injustice. That is why the Turkish Army is continuing its operations in this province alongside the Free Syrian Army.”
Yildirim said a 17-year-old Turkish girl, Fatima, had been “martyred” on Wednesday in a rocket attack on the border town of Reyhanli, while another Turkish citizen was injured.
“Unfortunately, terrorists (in Syria) are attacking Turkey and claiming that Turkey is killing innocent civilians. Turkish citizens inside Turkey are being attacked while Syrian citizens are safe inside Syrian territory,” he said.
During their meeting, the two prime ministers discussed Syria’s future and ways of achieving peace there. They also talked about the ninth round of UN-backed intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, which will begin soon.
Asked about the likelihood of achieving a cease-fire, Yildirim confirmed, “Turkey and concerned countries have ongoing activities in this regard.”
The Turkish prime minister also touched on the crisis of displaced Syrians in his discussion with Hariri, saying, “The civil war in Syria is now seven years old, and Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan are among the countries most affected by this crisis.
“The number of Syrian people inside these three countries is larger than that inside Syria itself,” he continued. “There are 1.5 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, more in Jordan, and 3.5 million Syrians in Turkey, and even though we’ve been supporting refugees in our country, we have not received enough contribution from the international community in this regard.”
Yildirim stressed that Lebanon’s security, territorial integrity, political unity, and sovereignty are “just as important as Turkey’s security and stability.”
He said: “We will continue to support Lebanon more than ever, starting now, in order to ensure its stability, security, and growth, and we will continue to work together on international issues and consultations.
“With regard to strengthening Lebanon’s infrastructure, we have decided to actively participate in the Rome and Paris conferences, and we aim through our participation to have Turkish contractors and firms contribute to Lebanon’s stability.”
Hariri thanked the Turkish government for its prompt extradition of a suspect who participated in the terrorist attack that took place two weeks ago in Sidon in southern Lebanon.
Hariri said the swift handover “reflects the full cooperation between the Lebanese and Turkish security services, and between the Lebanese and Turkish judiciary, especially in combatting terrorism.”