Syrian Deputy FM Faisal Mekdad: Erdoğan Lies as He Breathes; No Regime in the World Is More Stupid Than That of Turkey

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad was interviewed on Mayadeen TV (Lebanon) on February 14, 2020. In the interview he said that Turkish President Erdoğan's "bloody" regime has expanded its military activity beyond Syria into Libya, with the same goals of subservience to "global Zionism," the U.S., and the regimes "handlers," goals that "serve its extremist, obstinate, and takfiri polices." Mekdad stated that Resistance to Turkish and American occupation is a Syrian sovereign right. He added that "Erdoğan lies as he breathes" and that he is lying to everyone, including the Russians. Mekdad told Mayadeen TV that in the past, Syria had considered "turning the page" on relations with Turkey, despite Turkish occupation of Arab lands for five century, however, Turkey lied to Syria and continued its extremist takfiri policies and its support of armed terrorist groups. Mekdad said that there is no regime in the world "more stupid" than that of Turkey.

Faisal Mekdad: "We are in a state of war with this bloody Erdogan regime, which did not make do with waging war on Syrian soil, but went as far as Libya, in order to fight for the same goals that it is fighting for on Syrian soil – its subservience to global Zionism, to the U.S., and to its handlers, as well as to those who serve its extremist, obstinate, and takfiri policies, in the region and elsewhere.

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"Resistance to the armed terrorist groups is a constitutional right of the Syrian state. Resistance to the Turkish occupation, as well as other occupations, including the American occupation in northeast Syria and south Syria, in the Rukban [refugee] camp, is a sovereign right of the Syrian Arab Republic. Thus, the Turkish regime is acting..."

Interviewer: "But it is also the sovereign right of Turkey to defend its borders. Erdogan says that if he does not do that in Idlib, he will be forced to do so on the [Syrian-Turkish] border.

Faisal Mekdad: "Of course, Iran is lying..."

Interviewer: "You mean Erdogan."

Faisal Mekdad: "Sorry, I mean Erdogan lies as he breathes. He lies under every breath. He is lying to us, and he is lying to others as well."

Interviewer:  "Is he also lying to the Russians?"

Faisal Mekdad: "I believe that he is lying to everyone. Anyone who lies to someone will lie to everyone. A liar is always a liar."

Interviewer: "Don't the Russians trust Erdogan? Sure, the Syrians don't trust him, but..."

Faisal Mekdad: "I won't talk about friends, or others. I am talking about our own experience with him. We, in the Syrian leadership, tried to make a fundamental change in our ties with Turkey and turn the page on everything that has taken root in our thoughts concerning five centuries of Turkish occupation of Arab lands..."

Interviewer: "You are talking about the time before the [recent] crisis."

Faisal Mekdad: "Yes, of course. We said that we must coexist as neighbors and that all the international relations treaties call for a policy of good neighborly relations. But the Turkish regime was lying in this regard and it pursued its whims and its extremist and takfiri policies, as well as its support for the armed terrorist groups. This is what led to this escalation between the two countries, because of the direct Turkish aggression on the lands of the Syrian Arab Republic. I believe that there isn't a regime in the world that is more stupid than this Turkish regime."

Interviewer: "More stupid?"

Faisal Mekdad: "Yes, more stupid than the Turkish regime."