Syria's Khaddam on relations with Turkey

Syrian Vice-President Abdul Halim Khaddam said that the attempts made by Ankara to make Turkey a European state will not succeed, stating that the Turkish-Israeli alliance is targeting Syria and the Arab region as a whole.

Speaking on Thursday on the occasion of convening the 20th conference of the Arab writers and men of letters in Damascus, Khaddam said, "The Turks should realize that their attempt to make Turkey a European state will not succeed," referring by that to Turkish attempts to join the European Union.

He, at the same time, asserted that Damascus does not want to challenge Turkey but wants to keep it out of an alliance with Israel, adding that this alliance does not only threaten Syria and Iraq, but all Arabs.

Khaddam went on to say that the Arab nation is exposed to grave risks, especially to those targeting its national identity, calling for the maintenance of an effective Arab solidarity and a partnership among the Arab states.