Turkey’s Erdo?an says UN must decide on any Syria no-fly zone

Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington a day after discussing Syria with President Barack Obama, Erdo?an said a no-fly zone could be discussed at a planned international conference on Syria backed by Washington and Moscow.

Turkey, a US NATO ally, has been one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s fiercest critics, throwing its weight behind the uprising against him, allowing the opposition forces to organize on its soil and sheltering 400,000 refugees.

But Erdo?an has grown frustrated by a lack of international consensus on how to respond to the violence. Car bombs, which tore through a Turkish border town last weekend in the deadliest spillover of violence yet, have added to the sense of urgency.

“With respect to a no-fly zone … it is not a decision that could be taken between the United States and Turkey. It is something that would have to come through the UN Security Council,” Erdo?an said.

“We are in the process of putting together a conference in Geneva … If that process decides on such a zone, as Turkey, we would also do whatever is necessary,” he said.

During his visit to Washington this week, Erdo?an had been expected to push Obama, at least in private, for more assertive action on Syria.

Obama – who has been reluctant to arm Syrian opposition forces or become enmeshed militarily in the conflict – made no mention of deeper engagement during a joint news conference with Erdo?an on Thursday, where the leaders sought to project a united front.

Western leaders have been cautious about the prospects of the planned talks in Geneva achieving any breakthrough, and Russia’s desire that Iran should attend could complicate matters because of potential opposition from the West.

Iran is a US foe and the main regional ally of Assad’s government, which has also received support from Russia. Tehran’s desire to participate in a June 2012 meeting on Syria hosted by the United Nations in Geneva was a bone of contention between Washington and Moscow.

The main Syrian opposition, expected to decide its stance next week on the planned conference, has previously demanded Assad’s exit before any talks, something Erdo?an reinforced.

“President Obama talked yesterday about a process without Assad … Having a transition with Assad in place cannot be a solution and the opposition wouldn’t accept it in any case,” Erdo?an said.

Shuttle diplomacy

Last year’s Geneva talks brought together the foreign ministers of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members – Russia, the United States, China, France and Britain – along with Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, the Arab League and EU.

The new meeting will aim to include the same global powers, but this time would also have representatives of the Syrian government and opposition.

“A second Geneva process with Russia and China included has our support,” Erdo?an said.

He said he planned to travel to Moscow and to Gulf states to discuss the Syrian crisis after his visit to Washington.

Turkey has been among the strongest opponents of Assad but its enthusiasm for action against Syria has waned recently, partly in frustration at the fractured Syrian opposition and the growing brutality by both sides.

Erdo?an has said Turkey, which has been testing blood samples from Syrian casualties for chemical weapons use, had shared its evidence with the United States, Britain and others and said Assad’s forces had also fired several hundred missiles.

“According to NATO they have used 283 missiles, and according to other information they are using the chemical sarin,” Erdo?an said on Friday.

“These are issues that should be discussed in the UN Security Council and also perhaps in the UN General Assembly.”

Turkish PM says no decision yet on further Iran oil import cuts

When asked about Turkey’s oil import from Iran, Erdo?an said his country had already significantly reduced its oil imports from Iran, which is under the choke of Western sanctions, and further cutbacks would depend on his country’s energy needs.

“On crude oil, there has been a significant decrease in the amount of oil we import from Iran … As to whether we would cut back any further, it will depend on our need. Time will tell,” Erdo?an said.

Last year, Ankara effectively halved imports of Iranian oil after a European Union oil embargo against Iran came into full force on July 1, which also targeted the marine insurance sector, cutting off the usual avenues for tanker insurance.

Turkey was twice granted a waiver on Iranian oil by the United States for 180 days after it made initial cuts.

Turkish imports of Iranian crude were steady in April at around 100,000 barrels per day, data from a well-informed shipping agent in the region showed two weeks ago.

Before the introduction of stricter US and EU sanctions against Iran last year, imposed over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program, Ankara’s purchases were averaging 180,000 bpd.

Turkey nonetheless remains one of the largest customers for Iranian oil together with Asian buyers such as China, India, South Korea and Japan.

source: http://www.todayszaman.com