VP Biden & PM Yildirim pool report on press briefing

From: Barbara Plett-INTERNET <barbara.plett@bbc.co.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2016 17:25
To: Goodman, Meghan Hays K. EOP/OVP
Subject: VPotus Travel Pool Report #6: Presser



24.08.16; Biden Presser with PM Yildirim


(Barbara Plett Usher

Barbara.plett@bbc.co.uk

646 942 1640)


1: Biden emphasized solidarity:



US Continuing unwavering support

Ready to provide any assistance that Turkey may need

Immediately condemned the event on July 15

Didn’t know what was going on…

Saw damage to parliament building

Walked up to PM office, thank God you were not there

Bombs left shell, striking at heart of Turkey’s democracy

Your insistence that you go back into parliament while the coup taking place is evidence of your collective courage and determination

Damage to hearts of the people of Turkey and most basic sense of security



Whole world watched as president bravely came back and asked the Turkish people to take back their govt

Shared values, but also awed by the bravery of the Turkish people who literally stood in front of tanks, some actually run over

You would say they were martyrs, we would say they were heroes and patriots

So on behalf of Obama and the US, extend our condolences to families and loved ones of injured and killed

Pay tribute to bravery and resolve, commitment to their democracy, that their country remain strong, resilient strong and DEMOCRATIC



2: Biden pushed back against rumours of complicity:



Let me be clear, I want to ease any speculation, some of which I have heard, as to whether or not the US had some advance warning, some fore knowledge of complicity

The United States of America did not, did not have any foreknowledge of what befell you on the 15th

The People of the US of A abhor what happened and under no circs would support anything remotely approaching the cowardly act of the treasonous members of military

Did not have prior knowledge, didn’t support, immediately condemned, and continued to stand shoulder to shoulder with not only the govt but the people of turkey



3: Biden on Gulen



Mr Prime Minister, I understand the intense feeling, your gov and the people of Turkey have about him

We are cooperating, we are cooperating with Turkish authorities, our legal experts are working right now with Turkish counterparts on production of and evaluation of material and evidence that needs to be supplied to an American court to meet requirements under our law and the extradition treaty, and we’ll continue to do so as you continue to bring forward additional info

We have no no no no interest whatsoever in protecting anyone who has done harm to an ally, but we need to meet legal standard requirement under our law

Under American law no president of the US has authority to extradite anyone on his own power only an American court can do that

If a president tried, it’s an impeachable offense

No reason to do anything but cooperate and get evidence to the court

It always takes time and never understood by your or our people, why the wheels of justice move deliberately and slowly, and totally understandable why the people of Turkey are angry, but we will continue to work closely with Turkish govt as process unfolds



4: Biden on terrorist attacks by ISIS and PKK:

We understand, America has been the victim as well, not just 9/11, but recently this year. We understand and our hearts go out to you



Like Americans, turkey doesn’t cower in face of terror: do not bend or bow

We will stand against those who threaten our great democracies

Continue to fight together against ISIL

Spoke about the progress we’re making, thanked him for how quickly Turkey resumed counter ISIL ops after the coup

Impt sign of our commitment to destroy it



5: Yildirim on Gulen



This heinous coup attempt was in our opinion orchestrated and instructed by FG and as per the treaties we have, the necessary steps should be taken with a view to his extradition

We’ve taken the initial step in that process and you’ve had very frank remarks for the turkish people and govt, they’re of vital imptc for sound functioning of this process

So having technical team from the US on the ground is clear sign from your side that you’re taking this seriously and attaching great imptc to it, thanks for being sensitive to the matter.

Our greatest expectation would be that we don’t lose any time conducting these processes and I believe the final expectation clear

Attempt on our democracy, and the US friend and ally can never welcome such a move, Obama and other admin types many key remarks and they were of key imptc to us.

The process of extraditing, if it can be expedited and accelerated, I think the grief of hot eTurkish people will be remedied to a certain degree and overall sentiments will go back to being more positive









6: Yildirim on Syria/Kurds



We support preserving the territorial integrity of Syria, not giving advantage of any ethnic group, or not allowing circs for that

Turkey will never accept a Kurdish formation on our border and grave threat to our security

But all ethnic groups must feel they’re being represented in just and fair structure



7: Yildirim on relationship:



The relationship btw the US and turkey will not be disrupted by 15th July or anything else, your visit a great oppo to get rid of some misunderstandings and show that US on side of Turkish govt and people, great solidarity



8; Q: status of Turkish operation over the border in Syria



Yildirim:

There’s been a structure called the Syria Arab Coalition, focusing on clearing the west of Euphrates, around Manbij of ISIS, but after the ops had ISIS elements move to Turkish border and settle in Jarablus, followed by PYD movement towards to the Afran region from two different directions so in light of what’s been happening we’ve acted to protect border security and prevent property and life loss from rockets and mortars, so starting from last night started to fire into Syria, also air ops; elements closest to the border been pushed back; full agreement with the US on what’s happening, which is that PYD shouldn’t come west of Euphrates or engage in activities west of E; we assessed this in our mtg and once again see determination of US about the issue, so PYG will not have presence west of the Euphrates. So our general take is that we know for a fact that they are working hand in hand with the PKK, it might look like helping in the fight against Daesh but US should know can use T org to defeat another but have in hand that T org in hand at end of day and how deal with it? To not have a greater threat that would be the right approach



9: Q: Biden: How assess Kurdish corridor being formed?



Biden: No corridor, period. No separate entity on the Turkish border, a united Syria

The PM explained precisely the arrangement we have relative to Jarablus and the commitment we made with regard to Manbij; made it clear to the elements of the SDF who were YPG, that they must move back across the river, cannot will not get Amn support if they don’t get that commitment



10: Q: Yildirim: will you now say US not involved in coup?



Yildirim: Biden statements impt, will take into account by the people; Obama admin clearly and explicitly condemned coup attempt as act against democracy, this is what stands in our eyes, might be different perception among the people, we are here to correct those, I’m sure healthy and sound functioning of extradition process will in a short time rectify the peoples’ perception back to normal positive situation



11: Q: Biden: why not raise Human Rights concerns in the presser? Privately?



Biden: we discussed this today, the PM the FM made clear that plan to adhere to constitutional principles, rule of law will prevail; this recent occurance, remember the confusion after 9/11, give them time, believe mean what they say, so let’s move on; the main purpose of my being here today was to show solidarity and I feel guilty that it took me this long to get here, feel badly didn’t have oppo to come sooner after it occurred but proud to be here and show solidarity