Turkey wants Syrian Kurds at peace talks, but not PYD/YPG, says PM

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that his country does want to see the Syrian Kurds at the planned peace talks in Geneva. Just not the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing the Peoples Protection Units (YPG).

"We want the Syrian Kurds around the table [at Geneva]," Davutoglu claimed, "Without the Syrian Kurds, the table cannot be complete. Why we are against the YPG? The YPG is the extension of the PKK recognized as a terrorist organization not only by Turkey but also the EU and US."

He made these comments in an interview given to CNN's Christian Amanpour on Monday.

Asked about increased U.S. coordination with the YPG against Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in Syria Davutoglu said that no one can convince his country that "these people are for peace."