The potentially game-changing accord was revealed as Turkey fuelled the growing anger of its Kurdish minority by shelling a Kurdish-held village in northern Syria as its warplanes continued to pound separatist targets in northern Iraq.
"The goal is to establish an ISIL-free zone and ensure greater security and stability along Turkey's border with Syria," the US official, who asked not to be named, told AFP using another acronym for the jihadist group.
Details of the zone "remain to be worked out", the official said during a visit by US President Barack Obama to Ethiopia.
But the official added that "any joint military efforts will not include the imposition of a no-fly zone" -- a long standing Turkish demand.
It would however entail Turkey, NATO'S only mainly Muslim member, supporting US "partners on the ground" already fighting IS extremists.
But many question whether Turkey is more interested in limiting Kurdish capabilities in Syria and Iraq than tackling IS.
Turkey has called an extraordinary NATO meeting for Tuesday over its two-pronged cross-border "anti-terror" offensive against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and IS jihadists.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg backed Turkey's right to defend itself but told the BBC Sunday "of course self-defence has to be proportionate".
And he cautioned Ankara about burning bridges with the Kurds. "For years there has been progress to try to find a peaceful political solution," he told Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.
"It is important not to renounce that... because force will never solve the conflict in the long term."...
AFP , france24.com
27/7/15
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