Erdogan rejects joint probe

artappraiser — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:04:20 +0000

In reply to Turkey blames Syria for bombings in border town

Erdogan rejects joint probe with Damascus on Turkey blasts
Agence France Presse, May 14, 2013

[....] "The administration in power in Damascus is illegal ... how can we recognise a structure that isn't even recognised by its own citizens," Erdogan told reporters before leaving for a meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington. [....]

Turkey has blamed a radical Marxist group affiliated with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime for the attack. Damascus has denied the allegation.

The Syrian government condemned the attacks again in a statement published by Syrian state news agency SANA on Tuesday, but accused Turkey of harbouring "terrorists."[....]

Reyhanlı blasts intend to

artappraiser — Sun, 12 May 2013 17:14:06 +0000

In reply to Turkey blames Syria for bombings in border town

Reyhanlı blasts intend to drag Turkey into a 'bloody swamp' in Syria: PM Erdoğan
Hurriyet Daily News, May 12, 2013

ISTANBUL - The deadly blasts in the southern town of Reyhanlı near the Syrian border, which killed 46 people, reflect an intention to drag Turkey into a "bloody swamp" in Syria, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said May 12. He said the attack aimed to "disrupt Turkey's peace," urging vigilance against "provocations."

"The purpose of these attacks is to give opportunities to those who collaborate with the Baath regime. These are attacks intending to provoke those who leave in peace, especially in the Hatay [province]," Erdoğan said.

The Hatay enclave is home to many minorities living together, including Alawites, Nusayris and Kurds who have family links with Syria [....]

Reyhanlı attack may be linked to peace process, Turkish PM suggests
Hurriyet Daily News, May 11, 2013

ISTANBUL - Deadly attacks in Hatay’s Reyhanlı district along the Syrian border that killed at least 43 people today might be linked with the ongoing Kurdish peace process in Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan suggested in his first remarks after the explosions.

“We have started a resolution process in our country, and there are those who don’t accept this new era or do not consider the air of freedom to be positive who might have been involved in such [attacks],” Erdoğan said, emphasizing that the province of Hatay on the border with Syria was a particularly sensitive area. “Hatay is a province where there are some sensibilities. Some might have intended to incite these sensitivities. Around 20,000 to 25,000 Syrians live in camps [across Hatay]. It might be a factor of not accepting this.”

Hatay is one of the most heterogeneous areas of Turkey, home to many minorities including Kurds and Alawites. Since Syria’s civil war started two years ago, tens of thousands of Syrian refugees have also been settled in the province, stoking occasional tensions.

Syria hosted the senior leaders of the PKK in the 1980s and 1990s. Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK’s jailed leader, stayed in Syria until 1998, a year before his capture in Kenya.

The Turkish government has initiated a peace process aiming to end more than 30 years of conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Militants from the group began a landmark withdrawal from Turkey on May 8. [.....]

dagblog - Comments for "Turkey blames Syria for bombings in border town"

Erdogan rejects joint probe

Reyhanlı blasts intend to