Turkey President Erdogan to meet Trump in US over Syria 'safe zone'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US counterpart Donald Trump agreed during a phone call to meet in Washington next month to discuss creating a "safe zone" in rrn Syria, Turkish presidency said Sunday.

Erdogan told Trump of his "frustration over US military and security bureaucracy's failure to implement deal" agreed in August to establish a buffer zone on Turkish border, presidency said in a statement. It ded that visit would take place after an invitation from Trump.

re h been expectations in Turkey of a Trump-Erdogan meeting on Syria last month on sidelines of UN General Assembly, but it did t take place.

Turkish leer h raised temperature on Saturday by warning that Ankara could launch a cross-border offensive "as soon as today, tomorrow", putting pressure on United States. Turkish state media also reported on military reinforcements sent to border with Syria after Erdogan's comments.

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Trump ministration has sought to stop any Turkish operation against a US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia viewed by Ankara as a "terrorist" offshoot of Kurdish militants in Turkey. US worked closely with People's Protection Units (YPG) militia against Islamic State (IS) group, capturing swas of territory from jihists.

After difficult US-Turkey talks ended with August agreement, Turkish and American forces held joint ground and air patrols in rrn Syria. However, Turkey accused US of stalling over establishment of "safe zone".

two leers discussed "safe zone" during call in which Erdogan told Trump it would create "necessary conditions" for Syrian refugees to return to Syria. Turkey is hosting over 3.6 million Syrian refugees but re has been a growing public backlash in recent months against ir presence in Turkey.

With some Western capitals concerned over any unilateral Turkish operation's impact on fight against IS jihists, Erdogan insisted Turkey would take "necessary precautions" to ensure re was extremist resurgence in region.

Turkey twice launched military operations against IS in 2016 and YPG in 2018, supporting Syrian rebels to take territory in rrn Syria. 

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