Syria said that France should stop interfering in its internal affairs a day after Paris slammed an amnesty decree issued by President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday.

Syria said that France should stop interfering in its internal affairs; a day after Paris slammed an amnesty decree issued by President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday.

"President Assad's decree was issued on the eve of Syria's independence day from France's occupation," state news agency SANA said, citing a foreign ministry statement.

"The foreign ministry said the French government should stop interfering in Syria's internal affairs," the agency added.

President Bashar al-Assad issued on Tuesday general amnesty on crimes committed in the crisis-hit country before April 16.

For its part, France criticized the move as a "deceptive maneuver".

"We should be rejoicing. But this regime has made us grow accustomed to its deceptive maneuvers," said foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot.

"The Syrian people will not allow France to return to their country through its support for armed terrorist groups, and by conspiring to cause Syrian bloodshed," said Syria's foreign ministry.
"France has no right to judge an internal Syrian issue," it added.