ANKARA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkey does not stand by any country on the issue of Syria and its policy in the region is different from that of Iran, Russia and the United States, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Monday.
"Our Syria policy is not about standing with or against any country," said Bozdag at a press conference, adding that Turkey aims to work together with any country who defends the "correct principles" in Syria.
His comments came in response to a reporter's question about an earlier comment from French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Turkey's support for U.S.-led strikes against Syria showed it had "separated" from Russia.
"With those strikes we have separated the Russians and the Turks on this. The Turks condemned the chemical weapons," Macron said on Sunday.
Earlier on Saturday, the United States, joined by Britain and France, struck a number of targets in Syria in response to the alleged chemical attack in the Eastern Ghouta's Douma district last week.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday supported the airstrikes, calling the move "appropriate."
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said "It is a positive step but more needs to be done for lasting peace."
