FM Davutoğlu calls for more decisive steps in Syria

Speaking at a panel discussion as part of the 9th Italian-Turkish Forum organized by the Center for Strategic Research (SAM) of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Italy’s Unicredit in Rome on Monday, Davutoğlu called the meeting in Doha an effort to “bring the different representatives of the Syrian society together” as he urged the “international community to support this entity that now better represents the Syrian people.”

Participating in a panel discussion along with his Italian counterpart, Giulo Terzi, Minister Davutoğlu announced that the Friends of Syria group will be convening at the beginning of December as he said that the international community has no more excuses not to act in Syria while stating that “we are all going through a test” in which the Syrian regime is committing a “crime against humanity” by bombing civilians in the Turkish border town of Ceylanpınar.

Referring to the meeting in Doha, Davutoğlu said that the “nature of the opposition has become more diversified and the Syrian National Council [SNC] has restructured itself,” reminding the audience that George Sabra, a Christian, had become the head of the SNC and that a “broader coalition was formed with the inclusion of local opposition representatives.” Davutoğlu emphasized that despite problems in Syria, “what is happening in Syria is not an ethnic or sectarian struggle but tension between the demands of the people and an oppressive regime.”

In terms of the refugees in Turkey, Davutoğlu said, “It is not fair to expect Turkey to carry the entire burden, although we can shoulder this burden as [we have done] in the past,” referring to the 500,000 Kurdish refugees who migrated to Turkey during the first Gulf War. “As of now, 2,000 more refugees are waiting at the Turkish border,” Davutoğlu added, also stating that Turkey has so far spent more than $400 million on refuges in Turkey to provide them with services, including education for children. Davutoğlu’s Italian counterpart, Terzi, on the other hand, stated that they had “worked together with Turkey in the Doha process and that Turkey is managing a complex crisis well” as he supported Turkey’s accession process to the EU.

EU still strategic target for Turkey, says Davutoğlu

In response to a question on whether Turkey still wants to join the EU, Davutoğlu reiterated Turkey’s commitment to the EU process. “The EU is still a strategic target for us” since Turkey is and has always been a part of Europe historically, according to Davutoğlu.

Listing three main challenges in front of the EU as the global power shifts to East Asia, European influence decreases, cultural exclusiveness becomes more prominent and there is a rise in the number of extreme movements, Davutoğlu argued that “Turkey is a cure to these challenges, not a burden” as he urged European decision makers to consider Turkey’s membership in the context of Europe’s future based on this framework.

In response to a concern about Turkey’s commitment to the EU amid a debate initiated by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the issue of capital punishment, Davutoğlu said, ¨It [the call for capital punishment] was a reaction of our prime minister to massacres like the one committed by [Anders Behring] Breivik in Norway” as he reiterated that Turkey is committed to its promises to the EU, but expect the same approach from the EU. The Turkish foreign minister also added that support for Turkey’s accession to the EU is declining within Turkish public opinion mainly because of the “double standard on the Cyprus issue and the belief that the EU treats Turkey unfairly.”

While guaranteeing Turkey’s EU goal as a strategic target for Turkey, Davutoğlu said, however, that “if you ask if Turkey needs the EU as much as it did a decade ago, it does not, as we have proved that Turkey can establish an active and productive structure by itself, too.”

In a supporting remark, Italian Foreign Minister Terzi said, “Italy has always emphasized the idea that Turkey should be part of the EU.”

The Italian-Turkish Forum will resume tomorrow with a closed-door session.