ANKARA, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Monday rejected and condemned the European Union (EU) decisions on Turkish military operation in northern Syria.
The ministry totally rejects and condemns the decisions of the EU Foreign Affairs Council taken on northeastern Syria and Turkey's drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, and all the calls made on Turkey, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.
"Operation Peace Spring is conducted based on international law, in accordance with our right to self-defense arising from Article 51 of the United Nations (UN) Charter and the decisions of the UN Security Council on the fight against terrorism," read the statement.
The ministry said it was "unacceptable" that the EU takes a "protective approach to the elements of terrorism in the face of threats and attacks by the People's Protection Units (YPG) against the national security of Turkey."
On Monday, the EU Foreign Affairs Council said in a statement that Turkey should cease its Operation Peace Spring in northeastern Syria and withdraw its forces.
The EU condemned Turkey's military action which "seriously undermines the stability and the security of the whole region, resulting in more civilians' suffering and further displacement and severely hindering access to humanitarian assistance."
Turkey's security concerns in northeastern Syria should be addressed though political and diplomatic means, not through military actions, said the EU.
Turkey on Oct. 9 started Operation Peace Spring to eliminate the YPG, which it sees as terrorist affiliation of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey's borders, and aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees.
