US, Turkey 'Far Apart' on Issues Related to Syria Despite NATO Membership

The United States and Turkey are split on the issues of solving the Syrian crisis, despite both being NATO members, former US envoy to Syria and Saudi Arabia told Sputnik on Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova — He added that Ankara's prime concern about Syria was descended from the Syrian Kurds' intention to create an autonomous region in northern Syria that could reinforce aspirations of the Turkish Kurds for full autonomy within Turkey.

"It is ironic that as Moscow and Washington appear to be getting closer about how to help Syrians get out of their present mess while Washington and NATO ally Turkey are still far apart," Richard Murphy said.

Since 2011, Syria has been mired in a civil war, with government forces fighting a number of militant groups and opposition factions.

The United States has supported the Kurdish communities in Syria, as well as in the neighboring Iraq, in the struggle against terrorists. At the same time Washington supports Turkey, which has been a member of NATO since 1955, despite Ankara's actions in regard to the Kurds both in Turkey and in Syria.

On February 22, Russia and the United States reached an agreement on a ceasefire in Syria. The ceasefire took effect on February 27 and is generally holding across the country despite reported minor violations.