TURKEY: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan says U.N. envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan for Syria has not been implemented; calls for elections in Syria

Record ID: 217559

  • Title: TURKEY: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan says U.N. envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan for Syria has not been implemented; calls for elections in Syria
  • Date: 13th April 2012
  • Summary: SLATE INFORMATION
  • Embargoed: 28th April 2012 13:00
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  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Reuters ID: LVA9J20TYJ15UM4FEF3I8QI32061
  • Story Text: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday (April 12)) U.N. and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan for Syria, , which among other points demands the withdrawal of troops and heavy weapons from towns, had so far not been implemented.
    "On the issue of whether the six-point plan is implemented or not, I think that it has not been implemented. But from the very beginning we have been supporting Mr. Annan and what we want is to achieve a result," Erdogan said at a news conference in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
    The Turkish prime minister said that withdrawal Syrian tanks from cities to rural areas is not enough to comply with terms of Annan's plan. he made clear the tanks have to return to barracks.
    "To achieve the result, the first thing is the withdrawal of tanks from the cities and streets. But withdrawing them from cities but re-positioning them to rural areas does not mean that the tanks and artillery are withdrawn. Their storage is obvious, they have to be placed in army barracks,"
    Erdogan to journalists.
    Erdogan said the winner of an election demanded by the Syrian people will be respected by international community.
    "We think that the demands of the Syrian people must be satisfied. And the demand is, as we repetitively say, placing of the ballot box in front of the people. When you place the ballot box in front of the people, whoever gets the victory will be respected by the international community,"
    said Erdogan.
    U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said earlier on Thursday the ceasefire in Syria was just a first step and the United States supported sending an advance team to Syria immediately ahead of a potential U.N. monitoring mission.
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