Erdogan: Turkiye Will Never Allow Fragmentation Of Syria

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ANKARA, July 17 (KUNA) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of destabilizing Syria, and vowed that his country would never allow the fragmentation of its southern neighbor.
In a televised speech after a cabinet meeting in Ankara on Thursday, the Turkish leader said Israel is an arrogant state of terror and thuggery that recognizes no law, rule or principle.
Israel sought over the past two days to use Druze population as a ploy to fragment Syria but "we did not consent to fragmentation of Syria yesterday, and we will certainly not consent to it today or tomorrow," Anadolu Agency quoted him as saying.
Warning the Druze population against Israeli manipulation, the Turkish leader said, "Those who rely on Israel will sooner or later realize they have made a major miscalculation."
"Israel is a lawless, rule-breaking, unprincipled, arrogant, spoiled, and bloodthirsty terrorist state," he underlined.
"A stable Syria will generate stability for all neighboring countries; otherwise, everyone will bear the burden of this," stated Erdogan.
"Those who seek a secure future through oppression and massacres should never forget this: they are merely passersby; we are the innkeepers. We are the ones who truly belong to this land.
"We are closely monitoring all developments in Syria, maintaining communication with our counterparts, and will continue to do so," said the Turkish president.
Turkiye's fundamental policy is to preserve the territorial integrity, national unity, unitary structure, and multicultural identity of Syria, according to Erdogan.
"Through our honorable foreign policy, peace efforts, and diplomatic engagements, Turkiye stands on the side of peace," said Erdogan, adding. "We bear no ill will toward anyone, nor envy or hostility. We do not infringe on anyone's rights, laws, or sovereignty; we only want peace."
He made the comments after deadly small-scale clashes broke out between Bedouin Arab tribes and Druze militants in Syria's southern province of Al-Suwayda on July 13 followed by Israel's attacks on Syria's capital city of Damascus yesterday.
Earlier today, President Erdogan he Turkish spoke to his Syrian counterpart Ahmad Al-Sharaa by phone to discuss the latest developments in Syria.
He reaffirmed rejection of Israel's attacks, saying that "Israel's aggression poses a threat to the entire region." (end)
oas

MENAFN17072025000071011013ID1109816316