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TURKEY EYES OFFICIAL APOLOGY FROM SYRIA
Hurriyet, Turkey
Nov 15 2011
Ankara calls on Syrian government for a formal apology over the attacks
against embassies, also promises to 'maintain a most resolute attitude'
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) greeting members of Syrian
National Council as they met on Nov 13. AA photo
Turkey has called on Syria to deliver a formal apology over attacks
on its diplomatic missions in the country on the weekend, stressing
that it will maintain "the most resolute attitude" toward Damascus.
"Turkey is expecting a formal apology through diplomatic channels,"
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc said yesterday after a Cabinet
meeting, playing down an apology that Syrian's foreign minister
offered a press conference earlier in the day.
Arınc condemned the ongoing crackdown on anti-regime protestors
in Syria as "state terror" which "the whole world is following with
feelings of hatred."
The statement made Syria the third country after Israel and Armenia
that Turkey is expecting an apology from over tensions in bilateral
ties.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Ankara would adopt
"the most resolute attitude" against Damascus and would continue to
"stand by the just demands of the Syrian people."
He also played down the apology that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid
Muallem offered to Turkey as well as to France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia,
whose embassies were also attacked, during a press conference in
Damascus. "I'm aware of the statement made through the media. I'll
make a detailed comment later," he told reporters.
Speaking during a debate on his ministry's 2012 budget at Parliament's
Planning and Budget Commission, Davutoglu warned that "those in the
Middle East who are not at peace with their people and cannot satisfy
them will go."
He lent support to the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria and
said he would discuss the issue with Arab counterparts when they meet
in Morocco's capital Rabat on Wednesday for the Turkey-Arab Forum.
Turkey is not planning any immediate unilateral sanctions against
Syria in the absence of a U.N. Security Council resolution, diplomatic
sources told the Hurriyet Daily News, adding that the Arab League's
decision could pave the way for a fresh initiative to sanction Syria
at the Security Council.
Ankara has decided to keep Ambassador Omer Onhon and Turkish consuls
in Syria "until the last moment" even though the families of diplomats
and non-essential personnel were evacuated, the sources said.
At the meeting in Rabat, Davutoglu and his Arab counterparts are
expected to discuss how civilians could be protected against the
bloody crackdown of Syrian forces, ErÅ~_ad Hurmuzlu, a foreign policy
advisor to President Abdullah Gul, told private channel NTV yesterday.
Asked whether Turkey might consider setting up a "buffer zone" on the
Syrian border, Hurmuzlu said: "The protection of civilians is certainly
very important. But what matters is an international resolution on
the issue. It seems out of the question for us to do that on our own."
Following the embassy attacks, Davutoglu met late on Nov. 13 with
opposition leaders from Syria's National Council, who reiterated a
request to open an office in Turkey. The issue remains on the agenda,
but it is not yet clear when and where such an office could be opened,
sources said.
Thousands of protesters carrying knives and batons attacked Turkey's
diplomatic missions on Nov. 13, furious over Ankara's support for the
Arab League decision to suspend Syria. Diplomatic sources highlighted
the fact that the protestors did not target other embassies in the
vicinity, implying that the attack was orchestrated with the apparent
involvement of the regime.
Ankara expressed outrage after the attacks and summoned the top Syrian
diplomat in Ankara to deliver a note of protest.
Replying to criticism over the sharp shift in Ankara's policy toward
Syria, Davutoglu said they had tried to use the once-flourishing
ties as a leverage to cajole President Bashar al-Assad into reform
as early as 2005. "Whatever happens, the Turkish and Syrian people
will be close friends," he said.
Monday, November 14, 2011
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkey-eyes-official-apology-from-syria-2011-11-14
From: Baghdasarian
Hurriyet, Turkey
Nov 15 2011
Ankara calls on Syrian government for a formal apology over the attacks
against embassies, also promises to 'maintain a most resolute attitude'
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) greeting members of Syrian
National Council as they met on Nov 13. AA photo
Turkey has called on Syria to deliver a formal apology over attacks
on its diplomatic missions in the country on the weekend, stressing
that it will maintain "the most resolute attitude" toward Damascus.
"Turkey is expecting a formal apology through diplomatic channels,"
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc said yesterday after a Cabinet
meeting, playing down an apology that Syrian's foreign minister
offered a press conference earlier in the day.
Arınc condemned the ongoing crackdown on anti-regime protestors
in Syria as "state terror" which "the whole world is following with
feelings of hatred."
The statement made Syria the third country after Israel and Armenia
that Turkey is expecting an apology from over tensions in bilateral
ties.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Ankara would adopt
"the most resolute attitude" against Damascus and would continue to
"stand by the just demands of the Syrian people."
He also played down the apology that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid
Muallem offered to Turkey as well as to France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia,
whose embassies were also attacked, during a press conference in
Damascus. "I'm aware of the statement made through the media. I'll
make a detailed comment later," he told reporters.
Speaking during a debate on his ministry's 2012 budget at Parliament's
Planning and Budget Commission, Davutoglu warned that "those in the
Middle East who are not at peace with their people and cannot satisfy
them will go."
He lent support to the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria and
said he would discuss the issue with Arab counterparts when they meet
in Morocco's capital Rabat on Wednesday for the Turkey-Arab Forum.
Turkey is not planning any immediate unilateral sanctions against
Syria in the absence of a U.N. Security Council resolution, diplomatic
sources told the Hurriyet Daily News, adding that the Arab League's
decision could pave the way for a fresh initiative to sanction Syria
at the Security Council.
Ankara has decided to keep Ambassador Omer Onhon and Turkish consuls
in Syria "until the last moment" even though the families of diplomats
and non-essential personnel were evacuated, the sources said.
At the meeting in Rabat, Davutoglu and his Arab counterparts are
expected to discuss how civilians could be protected against the
bloody crackdown of Syrian forces, ErÅ~_ad Hurmuzlu, a foreign policy
advisor to President Abdullah Gul, told private channel NTV yesterday.
Asked whether Turkey might consider setting up a "buffer zone" on the
Syrian border, Hurmuzlu said: "The protection of civilians is certainly
very important. But what matters is an international resolution on
the issue. It seems out of the question for us to do that on our own."
Following the embassy attacks, Davutoglu met late on Nov. 13 with
opposition leaders from Syria's National Council, who reiterated a
request to open an office in Turkey. The issue remains on the agenda,
but it is not yet clear when and where such an office could be opened,
sources said.
Thousands of protesters carrying knives and batons attacked Turkey's
diplomatic missions on Nov. 13, furious over Ankara's support for the
Arab League decision to suspend Syria. Diplomatic sources highlighted
the fact that the protestors did not target other embassies in the
vicinity, implying that the attack was orchestrated with the apparent
involvement of the regime.
Ankara expressed outrage after the attacks and summoned the top Syrian
diplomat in Ankara to deliver a note of protest.
Replying to criticism over the sharp shift in Ankara's policy toward
Syria, Davutoglu said they had tried to use the once-flourishing
ties as a leverage to cajole President Bashar al-Assad into reform
as early as 2005. "Whatever happens, the Turkish and Syrian people
will be close friends," he said.
Monday, November 14, 2011
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkey-eyes-official-apology-from-syria-2011-11-14
From: Baghdasarian