TURKEY: Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu rules out foreign intervention in Syria but warns military assault against civilians must stop immediately

Record ID: 278720

  • Title: TURKEY: Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu rules out foreign intervention in Syria but warns military assault against civilians must stop immediately
  • Date: 17th August 2011
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (AUGUST 16, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU ATTENDING TO A FAST-BREAKING DINNER DAVUTOGLU DELIVERING HIS SPEECH PHOTOGRAPHERS WORKING (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU SAYING: "We do not want foreign intervention in Syria but we do not and we will not accept any operation against civilian
  • Embargoed: 1st September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA37MP5HTSX427KT3JIKR2WPMNX
  • Story Text: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday (August 16) dismissed foreign intervention in Syria but said attacks on civilians were unacceptable, keeping up pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
    "We do not want foreign intervention in Syria but we do not and we will not accept any operation against civilians especially during the holy month of Ramadan. We issued all kinds of warning to stop these operations and we are determined to take all kind of measures. For us, this is a matter of fraternity," Davutoglu told Turkish business people at a dinner in Ankara.
    Davutoglu indicated that Turkey will keep up its efforts to ensure the demands of the Syrian people are met.
    "We are ready for all kinds of struggle to ensure that the demands of Syrian people and other nations are met. We will issue all kinds of warning just like we did yesterday," he said.
    On Monday Davutoglu urged Assad to end military operations against civilians immediately and unconditionally, saying this was Ankara's "final word".
    Turkish leaders, who once backed Assad, are sounding increasingly frustrated at the Syrian leader's fierce crackdown on demonstrators demanding an end to his 11 years in power.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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