Turkey’s Key Objectives in Doubt Following Sochi Deal Over Syria

Source:Voice of America Date:24Oct2019

Veteran journalist Dorian Jones puts the nail on the head:

Erdogan is facing mounting domestic pressure to repatriate the more than 3.5 million Syrians in Turkey who fled the civil war. The Turkish president declared that the creation of a 450-kilometers-long and 30-kilometers deep so-called “safe zone” in Syria would allow up to 2 million refugees in Turkey to return.

But with the Sochi agreement ending Turkish military operations in Syria, the mass return of refugees is in doubt.

“The return of refugees is shelved, as 2 million Syrians will not be voluntarily squeezing into a 120 by 30 kilometers rectangle (Syrian territory under Turkish military control),” Selcen said.