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Erdogan Says He’ll Refuse to Meet Pence and Pompeo in Turkey

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“When Trump comes here, I’ll be talking,” said the Turkish president ahead of a visit from White House delegation.

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Reuters

President Erdogan has said he'll refuse to meet Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo when they arrive in Turkey Wednesday to make their case for a ceasefire in Syria, and will only negotiate with President Trump. “I'm not going to talk to them. They will be talking to their counterparts. When Trump comes here, I'll be talking,” Erdogan told Sky News when asked what he will say to the U.S. delegation. The vice president’s office announced Tuesday that Pence would lead the delegation including Pompeo, national security advisor Robert O’Brien and the special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey in a trip to the Turkish capital of Ankara. The U.S. wants Erdogan to agree to halt his military operations in Northern Syria, launched after Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the area. However, Erdogan said Tuesday he's not interested in a ceasefire. “They say ‘declare a ceasefire’. We will never declare a ceasefire,” he said.

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