Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much for inviting me and giving us a chance to explain our views regarding the events in Syria. I am sorry for being late; I miscalculated the traffic. There was a holdup. Maybe I will begin right now with a statement. The main aim of Turkish foreign policy is

Foreign Affairs committee  Our ministers met on the 20th of September, right before our minister's visit to Canada. The Saudi Arabian foreign minister was not present because of his ill health, but he sent a representative. The main idea that came out was also to help the opposition to be better represente

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes. We have this religious holiday coming up next week, and Mr. Brahimi's suggestion was to stop all the fighting at least for the period. It's Eid al-Adha, during these Muslim holy days. Our minister said he's fully supportive of that, provided that the Syrian regime would also

Foreign Affairs committee  The international community has held a few conferences for the opposition. The last one was the Arab League conference of the opposition. They accepted a statement at the end of that. We could support the opposition, and we also shouldn't let the extremist forces take.... The op

Foreign Affairs committee  Since the beginning of the crisis, most members of the international community have voiced support. The U.S., France, Canada, and Turkey have been more or less the same. The position of the Russian Federation and China on this issue are not the same as those of the rest of the in

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, we had information that a civilian airplane was carrying ammunition, so we intercepted the plane. It's a right of every country under ICAO rules and also of Turkish aviation. I believe it was radar parts, and all civilian airplanes have to report what they are carrying. The

Foreign Affairs committee  No. We are capable of protecting it, as far as I know. The reaction of the Turkish military was to show that no aggressive attack coming from Syria would go unanswered, because we have lost our citizens. More and more, as the regime became more desperate....

Foreign Affairs committee  It could be done, but it would be up to the Syrian regime. The no-fly zone, meaning Syrian planes as well, but on their—

Foreign Affairs committee  I think it was on the table, but it couldn't pass. The regime might also continue using it as well. The Syrians have their own rights within their borders.

Foreign Affairs committee  No, there was only this. The Syrian regime has now lost control of the passages to Turkey at the zero point border. The opposition is taking control, so there are conflicts. They are going along the border, and we have problems at that zero point with Syria. Akçakale was one of t

Foreign Affairs committee  Two days ago the number of Syrians taking refuge in Turkey passed 100,000. Yesterday's number was 101,000 refugees taking shelter in Turkey. Since the beginning of the conflict we have housed 144,000 refugees; 40,000 of them returned to Syrian. They can't come and go. We have bu

Foreign Affairs committee  Not yet. I think Canada is providing help through Jordan, or the Red Cross, or maybe through Lebanon as well.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, of course. Our minister also had a meeting under the auspices of the UN and asked for international help. It's way beyond—we need to spend a lot of—

Foreign Affairs committee  No. The UN or international community should find a way to help the Syrian people within their own territory, so that they do not become international displaced persons. They shouldn't need to find refuge in neighbouring countries. A solution should be found within their own terr

Foreign Affairs committee  It's a slippery slope, as you said, but Turkey has no intention of going to war, as well as NATO. As you said, those shellings—they began on the 20th, actually. They continued on the 21st and the 23rd. We doubt that all of them were mistakes. In the end, it killed five of our cit