Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Egypt's PM reviews debt reduction strategy, eyes more private investment    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt, India discuss expanding industrial, investment partnerships    World Bank proposes Egypt join new global health initiative    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Egyptian pound ticks down in early Tuesday trading    Famine kills more Gaza children as Israel tightens siege amid global outrage    Kuwait's Crown Prince, Egyptian minister discuss strengthening cooperation    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Egypt's FM seeks deeper economic, security ties on five-nation West Africa tour    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt exports 175K tons of food in one week    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Turkey compares Syrian conflict to 1990s Balkans
Published in Ahram Online on 03 - 03 - 2012

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu described the Syrian regime's actions as a "crime against humanity," in a remark that dovetailed with a commitment from the European Union to document war crimes in Syria
Turkey said Saturday that the international failure to agree on action over Syria is emboldening the government crackdown that has killed thousands, calling the violence a crime against humanity on the scale of the 1990s bloodshed in the Balkans.
Turkey, which shares a border with Syria, and its allies are struggling for ways to pressure Syria into stopping the violence that focused in past weeks on the rebellious central city of Homs, where forces have blocked a Red Cross convoy from delivering badly needed aid to the neighborhood of Baba Amr.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu described the Syrian regime's actions as a "crime against humanity," in a remark that dovetailed with a commitment from the European Union on Friday to document war crimes in Syria.
But China and Russia have blocked action against Syria at the UN Security Council, and Iran remains a powerful ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"No government, no authority, under no circumstances, can endorse such a total massacre of its own people," Davutoglu said. "The international community must speak louder."
"The lack of international consensus is giving Syria the courage to continue," he said.
The Syrian uprising started with peaceful demonstrations, but now also consists of armed groups, including army defectors, that are generally outmatched by Syrian forces equipped with tanks and artillery.
The revolt has killed more than 7,500 people, according to the most recent UN estimate.
Syria describes its opponents as "terrorists," but the Turkish foreign minister noted how the crackdown had deteriorated from the shooting of civilians at protests to the indiscriminate shelling of neighborhoods.
"The situation in the field seems to resemble Sarajevo, or Srebrenica. This seems to be the way we are heading," Davutoglu said at a joint news conference with Giulio Terzi, Italy's foreign minister.
"We believe that diplomatic pressure on the Assad regime must be increased," Terzi said. "We say this not only from the point of view of the EU. We believe all international institutions must do this."
He said the situation in Baba Amr, where Syrian authorities have blocked aid from reaching civilians, was "barbaric."
Both foreign ministers referred to the possibility of a solution modeled on Yemen, where former President Ali Abdullah Saleh handed power to a successor in a move intended to bring peace after more than a year of violent protests against Saleh's longtime rule.
But there is no indication that Assad is prepared to relinquish power, and some Syrian opposition figures are calling for more robust action from supportive nations, including the arming of outgunned rebels known as the Free Syrian Army.
On Friday, Davutoglu met for four hours with Syrian opposition leaders in Istanbul. He said he advised them on what steps they should take, an apparent reference to the failure of the splintered opposition to organize into a cohesive entity.
Burhan Ghalioun, president of the opposition Syrian National Council, said the meeting focused on the need to create a "consulting bureau" to help the Free Syrian Army. Turkey has said it will not allow its territory to be used as a staging ground for attacks on other nations, but army defectors are believed to have a presence in refugee camps along the border with Syria.


Clic here to read the story from its source.