France announces it will work with Turkey on Syria 'road map'

France and Turkey will be working in the coming weeks on a "diplomatic road map" for an end to the nearly seven-year war in Syria, President Emmanuel Macron's office said Sunday.

The announcement came after Macron spoke by telephone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday which discussed in particular Turkey's operation against PYD/PKK terrorists in northern Syria.

Macron had incensed Turkish officials last week by saying in a newspaper interview that France would have a "real problem" with the campaign if it turned out to be an "invasion operation".

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported Saturday that Erdoğan had sought to reassure Macron during their talk, saying Ankara had no eye on Syrian territory.

"The two presidents agreed to work on a diplomatic road map for Syria in the coming weeks," the Elysee Palace said.

"To that end, discussions between France and Turkey, which both hope for a political solution overseen by the UN, will increase in the coming days."

On January 20 Turkey launched its "Olive Branch" operation in northern Syria against the YPG, the Syrian offshoot of PKK which has waged terror campaign against Turkey for over three decades.

On Sunday it said it could expand the military operation beyond the northwestern enclave of Afrin, to the town of Manbij and possibly east of the Euphrates river.

Erdoğan has sought to build a strong relationship with Macron despite rocky ties with the EU, visiting Paris in January for talks.