Egypt’s role in Syria group is work for peace: Turkey

By Sena Guler

ANKARA (AA) - Egypt’s role in the Small Group on Syria is to work for sustainable peace, security and stability in the region, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

“Regarding Syria, the duty of Egypt -- a member of the "Small Group" -- is to listen to the expectations of the nations and to serve the sustainable peace, security and stability in the region, not to stand for the oppressive regimes and the putschist parallel structures and terrorist organizations,” ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in response to Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry’s remarks about Turkey.

“We reject the accusations of the Egyptian foreign minister targeting our country at the ‘Small Group’ meeting on Syria,” he said.

Aksoy said Turkey has martyrs in the fight against terrorism in Syria, welcomed nearly 4 million Syrian refugees, protected residents against a cruel regime and terrorists in northern Syria, and made a concrete contribution to the political process in both Astana and Geneva processes, and he added that such accusations against Ankara are just delusions that cannot be taken serious.

“The role Turkey has assumed in Syria is and will be the guarantee of not only its own national security but also the protection of Syria's political unity and territorial integrity,” he said.