BRUSSELS, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Monday condemned Turkey's military action in northeast Syria, saying it seriously undermines the stability and security of the region, and causes suffering as well as displacement.
Foreign ministers of the EU member states issued a statement after a meeting in Luxembourg, and said Turkey's military action makes the prospects more difficult for the United Nations (UN)-led political process to achieve peace in Syria.
The bloc said continued efforts by the international community, including at the UN Security Council, to stop this unilateral military action are urgently needed.
On Wednesday, Turkey started a military operation to eliminate Kurdish forces in northern Syria and end what Turkey perceives as the threat of "terrorist and separatist" groups on its southern border.
In addition, the ministers at the meeting also slammed "Turkey's continued illegal drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean," and reaffirmed the EU's full solidarity with Cyprus, which had protested against the drilling and said the activities took place in its exclusive economic zone.
Turkey has repeatedly vowed to continue exploring hydrocarbon resources off Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.
