US Rules Out Syria No-Fly Zone

Local Editor

Washington ruled out Monday any imminent plans to create a no-fly zone along the Turkey-Syria border, brushing aside reports that the White House is in talks with Ankara about a refugee safe haven.

President Barack Obama's spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters the US was "open to discussing a range of options with the Turks" but that a no-fly zone over Syria was not on the table "at this point."

Turkey has been pushing for a buffer zone inside Syria.

But Ankara has so far failed to persuade its NATO ally Washington, despite US jets already hitting "ISIL" targets inside Syria, to put its might behind the plan.

This weekend US media reports suggested Washington's stance is shifting after a visit to Turkey last month by Vice President Joe Biden, but Earnest insisted this was not the case.

The Wall Street Journal reported that as part of a deal between the US and Turkey, a protected "safe zone" along the border.

The reports came just as Secretary of State John Kerry was heading back to Brussels for talks on Wednesday with ministers from the 60-strong global coalition fighting the "ISIL".

He will be accompanied by General John Allen, the US point-man forging the coalition to counter the threat from the "ISIL".

"It's an opportunity to take stock of where things stand, obviously discuss what needs to happen from here, provide updates on where countries stand," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

She said Washington continued to review a number of options including a no-fly zone, but insisted such discussions were "ongoing."

"We continue to have differences" with Turkey, Psaki told reporters, stressing "we haven't made a decision about a specific course of implementation, we're just continuing to have a discussion with Turkey."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team