Turkey and Syria warn Israel against destabilising actions in war-torn nation
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated 'certain actors are bothered by the positive developments in Syria' while standing alongside Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani.
'Israel is currently one of the biggest actors in this dark picture,' Fidan added, referencing ongoing Israeli military operations following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
Shaibani echoed these concerns by highlighting 'repeated Israeli threats... through airstrikes' as destabilising factors for Syria's recovery.
Fidan identified multiple conflict zones including Latakia, Sweida and Kurdish-controlled northeast Syria as evidence of external interference.
'The events in Latakia and Sweida and the failure to integrate the YPG (into the Syrian state) are evidence of the challenges and obstacles facing the positive process under way,' he explained.
Shaibani accused foreign powers of fuelling sectarian divisions without naming specific countries.
'We are also confronting multiple foreign interventions, both direct and indirect... (that) push the country toward sectarian and regional strife,' the Syrian minister warned.
Fidan expressed particular concern about the Kurdish YPG militia's refusal to disband despite a March integration agreement with Damascus.
'In an environment where Turkey's security demands remain unmet, we have no chance of remaining calm,' the Turkish minister stated regarding the YPG's foreign fighter presence.
The diplomatic meeting marked rare cooperation between Turkey and Syria after years of strained relations during Syria's civil war. – AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
31 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
No naval standoff with Malaysia, says Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the video is an attempt to strain the country's 60-year diplomatic ties with Malaysia. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : The Philippines says a video circulating on YouTube depicting a supposed naval standoff between Philippine and Malaysian forces is 'disinformation' aimed at provoking unnecessary tensions between the two Asean nations. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also said the video was an attempt to strain the country's 60-year diplomatic ties with Malaysia and erode public trust in the AFP. 'This is entirely fabricated – no such incident occurred,' it said in a statement. 'Such disinformation threatens peace and stability in the region, serving only political or strategic agendas. 'The AFP stands firm in its commitment to transparency, truth, and the protection of our national interests. The truth is our strongest defence.' The 12-minute video depicts a standoff between the naval forces of the two countries over conflicting territorial claims. While both Malaysia and the Philippines have overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea, their dispute is less severe compared to their tensions with China Last November, deputy foreign minister Mohamad Alamin confirmed that Malaysia had sent a note of protest to the Philippines regarding its two new maritime laws which infringe on Sabah's maritime borders. The Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, signed by president Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Nov 8 last year, were reported to have infringed on Malaysia's 1979 map, which was established based on international law. According to international media reports, these two new Philippine maritime laws were seen as efforts to strengthen Manila's claims over the South China Sea, which remains a subject of ongoing disputes.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Japan's grand tea master Sen Genshitsu dies at 102: reports
This photo taken on April 9, 2013 shows Sen Genshitsu, former head of the "Urasenke" school of tea ceremony, performing a tea offering during a visit to the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. Sen Genshitsu, the 15th generation headmaster in Japan's "Urasenke" tea tradition, has died at age 102, local reports said on August 14, 2025. - Photo: JIJI Press / AFP TOKYO: Sen Genshitsu, a would-be kamikaze pilot who became a Japanese tea ceremony master preparing cups of matcha for world leaders and monarchs, died aged 102 on Thursday (Aug 14), reports said. With a motto of "peacefulness through a bowl of tea", Kyoto-born Sen used ancient "Urasenke" tea tradition rituals to spotlight his anti-war messages. The United Nations headquarters in New York and the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii -- the scene of a devastating Japanese attack that brought the US into World War II -- were among the locations for his ceremonies. His death was reported by major Japanese media, including the national broadcaster NHK and the top-selling newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun. AFP could not immediately reach the Urasenke school for comment. Born in 1923, Sen went through training as a young man to become a kamikaze pilot in World War II, but the fighting ended before he had to carry out a suicidal mission. He later told how he used to serve tea to his fellow soldiers during military training. In a 2023 interview with NHK, Sen stressed the calming effects of tea culture. "A bowl of tea makes spirits very peaceful. When everyone is peaceful, there will be no war," he said. An ordained Zen monk, Sen became the 15th-generation grand master of the Urasenke school in 1964 following the death of his father who had previously headed the tradition. He offered tea to monarchs and presidents including Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and counted the former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger and former Chinese president Hu Jintao as friends. He said that his wartime experience had helped shape his views on the importance of peace. In 1997, he received the Order of Culture in Japan and in 2020, he was given the Legion of Honour, France's most prestigious order of merit. He retired in 2002 as the head of the tea school, passing it to his son, but he remained active up until his death. Even after he turned 102 in April, he held more than 100 cultural and government advisory positions and gave speeches, including some lasting more than an hour, the Yomiuri Shimbun said. He also worked as a goodwill ambassador for the UN cultural and education agency, Unesco. He was known as "Flying Grand Master" for his busy travel schedules. - AFP
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Smotrich approves East Jerusalem settlement plan dividing West Bank
TEL AVIV: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has approved a contentious settlement plan that would sever East Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank. His office stated the move would 'bury the idea of a Palestinian state,' escalating tensions in the region. The revived E1 scheme, frozen since 2012, involves constructing 3,401 homes for Israeli settlers between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem. Palestinians and international powers warn the project would effectively split the West Bank, undermining a two-state solution. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance on the plan remains unclear, with no immediate comment from his office. Smotrich's declining popularity contrasts with his aggressive push for settlement expansion, despite global opposition. Peace Now, an anti-settlement group, condemned the plan as 'deadly for the future of Israel' and peace prospects. The project still requires approval from Israel's High Planning Council before construction can begin. Critics argue the E1 plan would isolate East Jerusalem, a key Palestinian aspiration for their future capital. Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand previously sanctioned Smotrich over his pro-settlement policies. Rights groups report a surge in settler violence and settlement expansion during Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. - Reuters
