No transition process in Syria with al-Assad: Turkish FM
Sevil Erkuş - ANKARA
AA photo
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has dismissed the possibility of a transition process in Syria including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, adding operations conducted by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) should continue towards the south of the country and that the Manbij area “should be cleared of terrorists.”Speaking at a joint press conference with Saudi counterpart Adil Al-Jubeir, Çavuşoğlu said chaos in Syria would continue if al-Assad remained in power during the transition process, as he was responsible for “killing of 600,000 Syrians; even yesterday he used chlorine gas.”
Al-Assad missed an opportunity in the beginning of the Syrian crisis when he responded to the people’s demands with arms, the foreign minister stated.
Çavuşoğlu also stressed the Syrian opposition’s military operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) should continue towards the south of the country, adding the Manbij area should be closed to the group and “cleared of terrorists.”
“Thus the region will be a safe area. We’ll work with Saudi Arabia for the return of Syrians on their own will. Returns have even started; yesterday more than 200 returned to Jarablus,” he said.
