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TURKEY WANTS TO EXTEND MANDATE TO SEND TROOPS INTO SYRIA
October 2, 2013 - 19:01 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The Turkish parliament is likely to extend by a year
a mandate authorizing the sending of troops into Syria if needed after
the government said the possible use of chemical weapons by President
Bashar al-Assad posed a threat to Turkey, according to Reuters.
The government motion, due to be voted on by parliament on Thursday,
Oct 3, paints a bleak picture of the conflict in its southern neighbor
and says Turkey would be the country the most affected by escalating
violence there.
"Developments show that the Syrian regime has reached a point where
it is ready to use any methods or weapons against international law,"
the motion said.
Ankara and Western nations have blamed Syrian government forces a nerve
gas attack on a Damascus suburb on August 21 that killed hundreds. The
Syrian government, backed by Russia, blames the Sunni rebels.
"Turkey is the country which will be most affected by any attacks by
the regime and the uncertainty and chaos in Syria," the government
motion said.
Through its rights drawn from international law, Turkey is obliged to
take necessary measures against any kind of action from Syria which
presents an "open and near threat," it said.
Turkey, one of Assad's fiercest critics, has advocated military
intervention in Syria and has grown frustrated over what it sees as
Western indecisiveness.
While it has the second-largest military land force in NATO, it is
unlikely to act alone in any military operation, with public opinion
largely against intervention.
A current parliament mandate allowing Turkey to send troops into Syria
expires on Friday. The ruling AK Party has a strong parliamentary
majority and the extension is expected to pass despite opposition,
especially from the main pro-Kurdish party.
Turkey, which shares a 900 km border with Syria, has seen the conflict
frequently spill across its frontier and has responded in kind when
mortars and shells fired from Syria have hit its soil, in some cases
killing Turkish civilians.
Turkish warplanes shot down a Syrian helicopter last month after it
crossed into Turkish air space, one of the most serious cross-border
incidents of the two-and-a-half year conflict, drawing a rebuke
from Damascus.
Turkey is also sheltering a quarter of the 2 million people who have
fled the Syrian conflict.
It has bolstered its defenses and deployed additional troops on its
border with Syria in recent weeks, with convoys of military vehicles
ferrying equipment and personnel and additional short-range air
defenses set up.
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/170756/
From: A. Papazian
October 2, 2013 - 19:01 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The Turkish parliament is likely to extend by a year
a mandate authorizing the sending of troops into Syria if needed after
the government said the possible use of chemical weapons by President
Bashar al-Assad posed a threat to Turkey, according to Reuters.
The government motion, due to be voted on by parliament on Thursday,
Oct 3, paints a bleak picture of the conflict in its southern neighbor
and says Turkey would be the country the most affected by escalating
violence there.
"Developments show that the Syrian regime has reached a point where
it is ready to use any methods or weapons against international law,"
the motion said.
Ankara and Western nations have blamed Syrian government forces a nerve
gas attack on a Damascus suburb on August 21 that killed hundreds. The
Syrian government, backed by Russia, blames the Sunni rebels.
"Turkey is the country which will be most affected by any attacks by
the regime and the uncertainty and chaos in Syria," the government
motion said.
Through its rights drawn from international law, Turkey is obliged to
take necessary measures against any kind of action from Syria which
presents an "open and near threat," it said.
Turkey, one of Assad's fiercest critics, has advocated military
intervention in Syria and has grown frustrated over what it sees as
Western indecisiveness.
While it has the second-largest military land force in NATO, it is
unlikely to act alone in any military operation, with public opinion
largely against intervention.
A current parliament mandate allowing Turkey to send troops into Syria
expires on Friday. The ruling AK Party has a strong parliamentary
majority and the extension is expected to pass despite opposition,
especially from the main pro-Kurdish party.
Turkey, which shares a 900 km border with Syria, has seen the conflict
frequently spill across its frontier and has responded in kind when
mortars and shells fired from Syria have hit its soil, in some cases
killing Turkish civilians.
Turkish warplanes shot down a Syrian helicopter last month after it
crossed into Turkish air space, one of the most serious cross-border
incidents of the two-and-a-half year conflict, drawing a rebuke
from Damascus.
Turkey is also sheltering a quarter of the 2 million people who have
fled the Syrian conflict.
It has bolstered its defenses and deployed additional troops on its
border with Syria in recent weeks, with convoys of military vehicles
ferrying equipment and personnel and additional short-range air
defenses set up.
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/170756/
From: A. Papazian