国际英语新闻:Turkey welcomes U.S. decision to withdraw troops from Syria

ANKARA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Turkey welcomes the U.S. decision to withdraw troops from Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday.

"We are satisfied with this decision. It is an important step for a political resolution in Syria crisis," Cavusoglu said during his visit to Malta, according to the NTV channel.

The minister said the United States should coordinate with Ankara on the pullout, adding that he and other Turkish officials have already been in touch with their U.S. counterparts "at different levels" on the issue.

Cavusoglu also emphasized the need for the international community to focus on a "political resolution" for the future of Syria.

He also warned that the U.S. withdrawal should not create a vacuum that could be filled by terrorist groups.

"We believe that Islamic State (IS) is defeated but still we should be very vigilant because they and other radical groups are still on the ground," Cavusoglu said.

On Wednesday, Washington announced it will withdraw all its troops from Syria within 60 to 100 days.