Turkey 'completely rejects' Arab League's claim of interference in region

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on March 5 said it "completely rejects the baseless decisions” adopted in the Arab League foreign ministers meeting earlier this week. The ministry's statement came after Arab League foreign ministers on March 3 accused Turkey of "intervening" in the domestic affairs of Arab countries.

Arab foreign ministers meet at the Arab League building in Cairo in this file photo.

Duvar English

Turkey said on March 5 that it "completely rejects the baseless decisions” adopted in the Arab League foreign ministers meeting earlier this week.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the Arab League makes it decisions “without any transparent negotiation processes” and that the decisions are “rather imposed by certain actors.”

"With its principled and resolute approach, Turkey is among the countries that exert utmost effort to ensure security, stability and peace in the region and the world. Preserving Arab countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity, and ensuring their political unity are among Turkey’s top regional priorities,” it said, adding the Arab League has been targeting Turkey “with unfounded accusations.”

On March 3, the foreign ministers of Arab League member countries convened in Egypt's capital Cairo, where the chairmanship of the meeting was transferred from Egypt to Qatar.

During the meeting, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry announced the Arab foreign ministers’ “absolute rejection to the Turkish intervention” in the region, including the deployment of Turkish forces in several Arab countries.

He said that such policies only deepen polarisation and disagreements in the region, according to Egypt’s Daily News.