Ahmet Furkan Mercan
24 October 2019•Update: 24 October 2019
ANKARA
Turkey on Thursday rejected European Parliament's attitude over the country’s anti-terror operation in northern Syria.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “We are not surprised on the decision of those who host terrorists in their parliament constantly.”
The ministry's statement came after the European Parliament strongly condemned Turkey's Operation Peace Spring in northeastern Syria and urged Ankara to withdraw all of its forces from the country.
The European Parliament claimed that the operation was "a violation of international law, undermining the stability and security of the region as a whole."
"The operation has targeted PYD/YPG, the PKK offshoot in Syria, which is also recognized by the EU and NATO as terrorist organizations, their shelters, refuges, positions, weapons, tools and equipment and all necessary measures have been taken in order to prevent any harm to civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure," the ministry said.
It noted that the legitimacy of the operation has been approved by Turkey's agreements with the U.S. and Russia.
"With the statements we have made repeatedly so far to the international public and to our foreign official counterparts at the highest level, all the claims in this EP resolution have been denied and the necessary information have been provided.
"Despite all our statements, the European Parliament has insisted on a biased position lacking of common sense toward Turkey, by adopting a decision incompatible with the facts," the statement said.
The statement said that instead of showing solidarity with Turkey, who is fighting against PKK/PYD/YPG and Daesh in Syria and struggling with illegal migration, the EP preferred to serve the agenda of a terrorist organization and to rely on its ungrounded accusations.
"This decision does not serve to the efforts aiming to develop relations and cooperation between the newly elected EP in May and Turkey.
"This decision shows that the EP cannot properly follow the important developments in the regional and global arena, assess the causes and the consequences of these developments in an objective and holistic way and that it is unable to develop sound and relevant strategies," the statement said.
"The EP and the EU, instead of being grateful to Turkey, a candidate country to the EU and a NATO ally, for this operation which accelerates the political solution process in Syria, prevents separatism, formation of a terror zone and the efforts to create a demographic change in the border of Europe and NATO, protects the unity and territorial integrity of Syria, prevents further irregular migration and helps Syrians to return to their country safely and voluntarily, continue to take imprudent conclusions," it added.
The ministry noted that Turkey is committed to maintain this attitude and no power and resolution can prevent Turkey from taking steps for its national security.
On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate PKK terrorists and its Syrian offshoot YPG from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
The statement reiterated that the anti-terror operation is in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter on the right to self-defense and UN Security Council resolutions on the fight against terrorism.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
