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Arab League Condemns Turkey's Syria Incursion, Calls for UN Action

Edward Yeranian

   CAIRO - Arab League foreign ministers condemned Turkey's military
   incursion into northern Syria. The League's secretary general, Ahmed
   Aboul Gheit, said the group is calling on the U.N. Security Council to
   take action against Turkey.

   At a meeting Saturday in Cairo, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed
   Aboul Gheit called Turkey's military action an "invasion" and an
   "aggression" against an Arab state.

   He said the Arab League "condemns the invasion and that the world must
   not accept it, either, since it contradicts international norms and
   international law, no matter what pretext the invader uses."

   Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali Hakim, who presided over the
   session, said the Turkish "invasion" would cause a further
   deterioration of the situation in Syria and a worsening of terrorism
   both in Syria and neighboring states, like Iraq.

   He said Turkey's action represents a dangerous escalation that will
   worsen the humanitarian situation and increase the suffering of the
   Syrian people, in addition to allowing terrorists to regroup and
   weakening international efforts to fight terrorist groups, especially
   the Islamic State terror group, which threatens both the region and
   world.

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