Syria’s violence is heading toward an “intolerable point,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, as he called for an international coalition to stop President Bashar al-Assad’s deadly crackdown.
“Very clear and decisive statements need to be delivered to the Syrian regime,” Davutoglu said today in Ankara before leaving for the U.S., where he will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Syria can’t be left to solve its problems alone and “we are determined to establish a broad international consensus,” he said.
Turkey’s initiative follows Russia and China’s Feb. 4 veto of a United Nations resolution supported by the Arab League, European Union and the U.S. aimed at ending the violence, which has led to 5,400 deaths since March. The veto gives the impression the deaths will “go unanswered” by the world and it would be “naïve” to expect change from Assad, Davutoglu said.
Turkey is looking to establish the “most broad-based” coalition, which should include members of the UN Security Council, Organization of the Islamic Conference, and Arab states, Davutoglu said.
Full story: Turkey Calls for a Broad Coalition to End ‘Intolerable’ Violence in Syria