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On British Instructions, Turkey’s Erdogan Threatens To Call on NATO’s Defense Over Syrian Border Fire
14 April 2012
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to invoke Article 5 of the NATO treaty, in which NATO allies would defend Turkey in a conflict, in this case against Syria, following an alleged shooting incident along the Syrian-Turkish border. Speaking to reporters during his official visit to China, Erdogan said, "NATO has a responsibility to protect Turkish borders. Turkey’s sensitivities are clear on the Syrian issue. We will follow the Syrian situation closely at the United Nations." Calling for the UN to act he said, "The United Nations should gather and take a decision on Syria. The organizations and the institutions which met in Istanbul [the London-run ’Friends of Syria’—ed.] should pressure the UN to make a decision." Lyndon LaRouche commented that Erdogan’s attempt to involve NATO militarily is coming straight from the British. "They are going for general warfare," LaRouche stated. On April 9, British Foreign Secretary William Hague hyperventilated about how "the [Syrian] regime has violated the sovereignty of Turkey and Lebanon, firing over Syria’s borders at people desperately seeking to find refuge from the regime’s onslaught... They have ruthlessly subjected whole communities to an inhumane campaign of shelling, forced expulsions, and executions... President Assad and his closest cronies should be under no doubt that they will be held to account for their actions." On April 11, former British Prime Minister Tony blair told CNN that there had to be regime-change in Syria, and that once the Annan Plan fails (which the British are actively sabotaging), "we are prepared to take further steps if necessary to put further pressure on the regime." In his press conference in China, Turkey’s Erdogan was asked whether there is a possibility of the continuation of the Ba’ath regime in a post-Assad period in Syria. He answered that Ba’ath members are standing with the current regime. If the regime topples, the Ba’ath party will also collapse. "In Iraq, the Ba’ath party collapsed with Saddam’s decline, and only some ruins of it are left behind. Some want the Ba’ath regime in Syria to stand, because they want the autocratic system to continue. But we [Turkey] wish for Syria to have a multiparty democracy," Erdogan said. Erdogan will fly to Saudi Arabia today to meet with King Abdullah. He told reporters, "Saudi Arabia also has sensitivities on the Syrian issue. In regard to the interests of both our sides, we wanted to speak about this topic together," said Erdogan. "Turkey has a unique attitude; history is evidence of this. Turkey will at least take the position other countries would take in a similar situation. Syria should put itself in order. If Syria continues its violence, then, Syria should be ready to pay the consequences of this violence. Yesterday also there were armed attacks across our border with Syria. In terms of international law, it is clear what Turkey should do in terms of border violations," Erdogan said. Erdogan is expecting to go to Russia in order to work out differences between Turkey and Russia over Syria. In response to Erdogan’s threat to invoke NATO, NATO spokeswoman Carmen Romeria told AFP that the alliance takes its responsibility to defend allies "extremely seriously. We are deeply concerned by events in Syria, particularly the recent incidents on the border with our ally Turkey." |