CAIRO: The Arab League head has warned Turkey over its role in increased regional tension in the Caucasus and Mediterranean regions, saying that “it will not end well” for the regional power.
Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in a televised statement: “Turkey is facing a group of differences with regional and superpower parties to a degree that will not end well for it or its leadership.
“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is interfering in Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Libya militarily,” he added.
“Erdogan also interfered in the Caucasus between Azerbaijan and Armenia, collided with Greece and Cyprus, and attacked the eastern Mediterranean in the gas areas, which made a large and influential country like France send fighters and an aircraft carrier to Cyprus.
“Even Italy, which was understanding of many of the Turkish positions, went to France. Everyone is telling Erdogan now that he will face consequences for his actions.
“It annoys me that the Syrians use mercenaries to fight with Azerbaijan against Armenia ... It is very sad that Syrian mercenaries are being used by Erdogan in cases that are unrelated to Turkey,” Aboul Gheit said.
He claimed that former US president Barack Obama caused destruction in Arab countries by supporting the Arab Spring in 2011.
‘Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is interfering in Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Libya militarily.’
Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Arab League secretary-general
Gheit said the US administration has a very fixed view on the Palestinian issue, and that if US President Donald Trump’s presidential term is renewed, he will continue his stance.
“All of Trump and his administration’s ideas are loyal to the Israeli side,” he said.
However, Gheit added that an election defeat for Trump could hold the key to change in the right direction.
The Arab League chief also said that the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was the beginning of a decline in the Arab world.
“The invasion of Kuwait was a stupid act, the price of which was paid by Arabs, Iraqis and the Kuwaiti people. What is happening in Iraq, Syria and Yemen affects us Arabs and makes matters tense,” he said.
He also denounced statements made by Trump where he claimed that the US would seize Iraqi oil.
Gheit said there has been extensive foreign interference in Libya and that tension still remains after former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein created instability between regional powers.
“Egypt made a move in the interest of the Libyan people by announcing the Cairo Declaration and determined the Sirte-Jufra line, which led to more stability. Egypt pushed the political solution in Libya, dealt with the UN and Morocco in a political process, and calmed down the clash between the Libyan parties,” he added.
