Sep 21, 2011

Turkey Breaks off Talks with Syria

David HockingBy Dr. David Hocking
Hope for Today

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Turkey Breaks off Talks with Syria
by Chana Ya’ar (Arutz Sheva News)

Turkey has broken off talks with Syria in the most serious break between the two countries since the advent of the Arab Spring.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced to reporters Wednesday in New York that Ankara might impose sanctions on Damascus.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Barack ObamaErdogan made the statement following his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the second day of the first session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“I halted talks with the Syrian government,” he told Turkish journalists at an impromptu news conference. “I did not want it to come to this point. But the Syrian government forced us to make such a decision.”

Turkey has long maintained close ties with its southern neighbor. But since the increasingly brutal government crackdown on civilian protestors, Ankara has repeatedly tried to convince President Bashar al-Assad to find other ways to end the anti-government demonstrations sweeping across the country.

Erdogan has urged Assad to end the military crackdown, and implement democratic reforms. Having failed to persuade the Syrian President to change his ways, however, the Turkish Prime Minister is now considering the option of imposing sanctions on Damascus instead.

Turkey has absorbed thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled the violence, preferring to take their chances running the border than waiting for government troops to reach their towns.

The Arab Council for Protection of Journalists estimates that some 3,600 people have been killed since the uprising began 28 weeks ago.


Related Links


Obama, Erdogan Agree To 'Increase Pressure' On Syrian Regime - Global Security
SYRIA: New report indicates over 5,000 deaths since March - IRIN
Turkey Considers Sanctions Against Syria - FOX News
Syria unrest: 'Five shot dead in Homs crackdown' - BBC
Iraq Calls for Change of Syrian Regime - Herald Tribune