Ankara: Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has rejected a proposal to deploy French troops on the Syrian border. France's proposal was to create a safe zone to reduce tensions with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Turkey's top diplomat on Friday ruled out a role for French troops in Syria, saying it was only negotiating with the United States which has sought to head off Turkish military action against Kurdish fighters there.

With 33 dead in four days and 29 in intensive care after drinking bootleg liquor in Istanbul, the politically-charged debate over Turkey's soaring alcohol taxes has swung back into the spotlight.

Turkey's foreign minister accused France of ignoring Ankara's security concerns, adding that the US was their 'only counterpart' in Syria.

France must take back its jihadist nationals from Syria, Turkey's top diplomat said Friday, insisting Washington was its only interlocutor for developments in the northeast where Ankara is threatening military action against Kurdish fighters.

Fidan said that Turkey would only take France's views on Syria seriously if Paris was willing to operate independently in Syria - without US support - by conducting military operations ...

PARIS (Reuters) -Talks are taking place on whether U.S. and French troops could secure a border zone in northern Syria as part of efforts to defuse conflict between Turkey and Western-backed Kurdish Syrian forces,