Berlin urges Turkey to stop its offensive in Syria


The German government today urged Turkey to "immediately stop" its offensive in northwestern Syria and warned that the issue will be addressed among European Union (EU) partners.

"Turkey must abide by the rules of proportionality in the interventions of its army," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to remind then that "is also part of his duties" as a NATO partner.

Turkey's military offensive will be one of the issues that the EU will address, both at ministerial level at the meeting of Foreign Headlines on Monday, in Luxembourg, and its leaders, at the European Council next week, said the vice spokesman of the Government, Ulrike Demmer.

Berlin's warning follows the condemnation of the offensive launched last Wednesday, in that case by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas himself, after knowing the decision of the United States to withdraw its support to the Kurdish forces that controlled this strip of territory .

"We strongly condemn the Turkish offensive in northwestern Syria. Turkey thus contributes to further destabilize the region and risks strengthening the Islamic State," Maas said in a statement from his department.

Both the Foreign spokesman and the Deputy Government spokeswoman Angela Merkel also stressed that the "common" interest is "to defend the validity and continuity" of the agreement between Turkey and the EU on refugees.

. (tagsToTranslate) Berlin (t) Turkey (t) stop (t) offensive (t) Syria



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