Photo: AA
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Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu answered the questions of journalists on the plane after his visit to Israel and Palestine.
Evaluating Sweden and Finland's application for NATO membership, Çavuşoğlu said, "If they demonstrate a political will to meet our expectations, we will work. If they want to become a member as soon as possible, they have to take steps."
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Çavuşoğlu said, "We need to do what is necessary," regarding the possible cross-border operation into northern Syria by Turkey which Erdoğan signaled at the beginning of the week.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday (May 23) that "We will soon take new steps to complete the project we started, to have secure territories of 30 km in depth along our southern borders."
Çavuşoğlu evaluated about the US's position in Syria.
"The US officials say we understand your concerns.Do not just "understand". Do what is necessary. The USA promised to force the terrorist organizations to withdraw by 30 km from the southern Turkish border but did not keep its promise." said Çavuşoğlu.
US warned Turkey
On the other hand, the US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on May 24 that "They are deeply concerned about reports and discussions of potential increased military activity in northern Syria and, in particular, its impact on the civilian population."
"We expect Turkey to live up to the October 2019 joint statement, including to halt offensive operations in northeast Syria," Price said.
"We recognize Turkey's legitimate security concerns on Turkey's southern border, but any new offensive would further undermine regional stability and put at risk US forces and the coalition's campaign against ISIS."
Syria: "Violation of our sovereignty"
Meanwhile, the Syrian Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General and the Security Council yesterday (May 26) describing Turkey's actions as illegitimate.
Syria's foreign ministry said that it would consider any Turkish military incursions into its territory as "war crimes and crimes against humanity."
The Syrian FM said that "What the Turkish regime is doing through its seeking to establish a so-called 'safe zone' on Syrian territory is an aggressive and a colonial activity."
"The government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to establish an explosive area inside Syria and to continue sponsoring, arming and operating armed terrorist organizations to be used against the Syrian people," the ministry added.
The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) have launched four major offensives into northern Syria — "Operation Euphrates Shield" in 2016, "Operation Olive Branch" in 2018, "Operation Peace Spring" in 2019, and "Operation Spring Shield" in 2020.
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(RT/TB/VK)
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