POLITICS > Turkish PM Erdoğan vows no silence on Syria regime 'crimes'

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates - Agence France-Presse

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is on a visit to United Arab Emirates. DHA photo

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that his country will "not remain silent" over Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's "crimes" against his own people.

"Every day a large number of innocent children and women fall dead in Syria," Erdogan said in a speech at the Government Communication Forum in the United Arab Emirates.

"We will not remain silent on those committing crimes against their people," he said.

"We will not remain silent on the brutal dictator in Syria," Erdogan added. "Some people are annoyed with the loud voices with which we confront world problems" but "we will not stay silent." Turkey's southern neighbour has been locked in a 23-months-long conflict in which the United Nations estimates over 70,000 people have been killed since an uprising began against Assad's regime.

Early in the revolt, Turkey broke ties with Damascus and led international calls for Assad's ouster. It has since backed the uprising by offering shelter to defectors from Assad's army and hosting opposition meetings. Some 200,000 Syrian refugees have fled the conflict in their country for Turkey, many of them living in insalubrious camps.

On February 15, Syrian state media reported that the Syrian government has sent a letter to the United Nations blasting Turkey's "destructive" role in the Syrian conflict.

February/24/2013

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Mohamed Al Hashimi

2/24/2013 10:48:02 PM

Ummah Muslim: The trains tunnels will be build with intelligent structure so it can't be destroyed. I don't support Turkey to attack Syria because it will make Turkish army weaker and the region in danger.

Turk Uzan

2/24/2013 10:07:53 PM

And now we have Hezbollah also joining the conflict in an effort to save Assads skin. I'm telling you guys .. even if this conflict ends .. thousands upon thousands will be murdered by people who are taking the laws in to their own hands no matter which side wins. I can even see Syrian brigades turning their weapons to each other... this is a really really big problem and the longer it takes the worse it will get. I see this becoming even worse than Serbia, But maybe I'm a pessimist

Turk Uzan

2/24/2013 10:04:49 PM

In the end, this conflict will end even more bloody if Assad doesn't step down and the FSA takes over entire Syria, the "collaborators" will have a huge problem, I wouldn't be surprised if FSA supporters will take revenge on all the people who have sided with Assad. They already kill Assads supporters when ever they catch them, just like the Syrian army kills them and their supporters. But after this conflict is over, I can't see this anger melting like snow in the sun.

Turk Uzan

2/24/2013 10:01:03 PM

For example, Some Christians (esp Syriac ones) have joined the FSA, while the Armenians in Syria believe that we have sent the FSA to "kill them" (according to a 2012 interview from the guardian for example) an Armenian claims, we fight the FSA not because we support Assad but because the "Turkish oppressors" have sent the FSA to kill us. (which is ridiculous), thus they attacked the FSA before the FSA ever eve came in contact, but of course this results in the FSA branding them traitors

Turk Uzan

2/24/2013 9:57:15 PM

If there was as much oil in Syria as there was in Iraq, Assad would have been gone by now. I support the FSA as the lesser evil, but their chaotic command structure, ethical, religious, difference create for more and more gruesome scenes. Granted they are not nearly as sick as what Assads soldiers do to civilians who helped the FSA, the FSA also engages in many questionable things, they execute people/Assads soldiers just like the Assads army, but they often do it in a more .. "humane" way

joe Maddin

2/24/2013 9:00:43 PM

Sulkytan Erdogan should learn how to be silent. He talks and shouts too much to be believable.

Ummah Muslim

2/24/2013 4:17:11 PM

I don't think that mas killing weapons will be deployed in a war. If a country does that , it will be completely destroyed. I am supporting Turkish army to attack the Syrian army positions. Then the rebels can take over more faster.

Mohamed Al Hashimi

2/24/2013 12:26:31 PM

Turkey should build trains tunnels (metro) in the most of Turkish land as protection for Turkish citizens from any nuclear war.

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