Syria FM: Turkey's goals in north Syria are colonial

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a statement today, that "the cheap statements of the head of the Turkish regime about the establishment of a 'safe zone' in northern Syria reveal the aggressive games that this regime is plotting against Syria and the unity of its land and people."

The Foreign Ministry described what Erdogan and the Turkish authorities are doing as "vile bargains, which show the lack of the minimum political and moral understanding to deal with the crisis in Syria."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that "the establishment of such a zone does not aim at all to protect the border areas between Syria and Turkey," revealing that "the main objective is colonialism," adding that it aims to create a "fiery hotbed that basically helps to implement terrorist plans directed against the Syrian people."

The Foreign Ministry stressed that "the government of the Syrian Arab Republic affirms its absolute rejection of such plays," while it called "the countries in the region and abroad, which have invested themselves in financing and propaganda for these criminal projects, to immediately stop supporting the Turkish regime to realize its demonic delusions."

The statement called on the international community not to compromise Erdogan on the lands of other countries to achieve short-sighted goals that would have catastrophic effects on security, peace, and stability in the region and the world.

The FM statement stressed that Syria will confront this long-lasting conspiracy by various legitimate means, in defense of its people and territorial integrity.

Erdogan had previously urged NATO allies to back Turkey's what he claimed to be "legal" and "moral" activities in Syria, including the safe zone, or "at the very least, do not try to trip us up."

Erdogan has also stated that Turkey will veto NATO membership bids from countries that have imposed sanctions on Ankara. After Turkey's invasion of northern Syria in 2019 Sweden, and Finland had banned arms supplies to Turkey.