TURKEY: Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan says President Bashar al-Assad's government will not be able to hold on to power in Syria much longer

Record ID: 217583

  • Title: TURKEY: Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan says President Bashar al-Assad's government will not be able to hold on to power in Syria much longer
  • Date: 31st July 2012
  • Summary: CILVEGOZU, TURKEY (RECENT) (REUTERS) TURKISH FLAG FLYING ON BORDER
  • Embargoed: 15th August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: International Relations,People
  • Reuters ID: LVABPTZGS4G07V8GZBOXWROUYILN
  • Story Text: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday (July 31) the Syrian people would not be ruled by President Bashar al-Assad's government much longer.

    "The increasing cruelty in recent days is the obvious sign that inevitable end is approaching. God willing, the brotherly Syrian people and the Middle East will soon be freed from this dictator with blood on his hands, and his regime, which was built on blood," Erdogan said during an address to the nation.

    "In Syria, the Assad regime attacks its own people, the people of Syria, by cruel means, proving they are in a desperate situation. Assad and his bloodstained comrades know well that they have reached the end, and that their fates will not be different from those of previous dictators."
    Erdogan also referred to the situation in the Kurdish provinces of northern Syria. Turkey is alarmed by worries over Kurdish PKK rebels taking advantage of the chaos.

    "While the Assad regime commits cruel massacres in Syria, the fait accompli activities in northern Syria should be watched carefully. We can never overlook such developments threatening our security. Turkey will stand against all kind of activities threatening its peace and stability," Erdogan said.
    Both Ankara and most Western powers view the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as a terrorist group, blaming it for a long-running conflict that has killed some 40,000 people since it took up arms in 1984. Turkey regularly strikes PKK bases in Iraq's northern self-ruled Kurdish enclave, and Erdogan said last week the same option was being discussed for Syria.
    Rising numbers of refugees crossing the border could put further pressure on Turkey. Turkey has already closed its borders to commercial traffic but says it will allow fleeing civilians through.
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