Erdogan to Assad: You Can't Speak of Reform as People are Being Killed
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Turkey's ambassador to Damascus visited Syrian's flashpoint protest hub of Hama, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, as Syrian army vehicles left the town.
"Our ambassador went to Hama and said that the tanks, security forces had started to leave Hama. This is highly important to show that our initiatives had positive results," Erdogan said in televised remarks, addressing his party members in Ankara.
"We hope that all these will be completed within a 10 to 15 day period," he added.
Slamming the Syrian regime’s violent crackdown on the protest movement, Erdogan went on to say: “The Syrian authorities are pointing guns at their own people and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian authorities can’t talk about reforms while the Syrian people are being killed.”
“You can’t fool the Syrian people nor the world and don’t forget that the legitimacy of any rule is derived from listening to people and representing their will,” the Turkish leader added, addressing the Syrian authorities.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu visited Syria Tuesday and held talks with the Assad about ways of ending the bloodshed and implementing democratic reforms.
"We hope that some measures will be taken in the coming days to end the bloodshed and open the way for a process of political reform," Davutoglu had said at Ankara airport on his return.
Following the recent crackdown in the Syrian city of Hama that left dozens dead, Erdogan announced Sunday that Davutoglu would convey to the Damascus regime that Ankara was "at the end of its patience" in the face of such violent repression by Syrian forces.
The Hama visit of Turkish envoy Omer Onhon was part of the agreement between Syria and Turkey that had been reached Tuesday, Davutoglu said in his televised remarks at a press conference Wednesday.
"It is confirmed that tanks and artillery were withdrawn from the city of Hama. But it is understood that the city lacks liveliness," Davutoglu said, based on the preliminary information he received from Onhon.
"There is some military presence on the road to Hama, although not around the city. There are some checkpoints within the city," he said.
Davutoglu said it was important that envoy Onhon found the opportunity to have direct contact with people in Hama.
"He visited almost all by streets of Hama with our diplomatic team and he was together with people for the noon prayer," Davutoglu said.
"The critical thing is that Syria should be open to the world for the developments to be followed. The most important tool to end the speculations and debate is free media access," Davutoglu said.
Last month Syria furiously reacted to the visit of French and U.S. ambassadors to Hama and warned to impose a ban on any diplomatic travel outside Damascus.
Forty personnel carriers decked with Syrian flags rolled out of Hama with soldiers chanting slogans praising embattled Assad, said an Agence France Presse reporter who visited the city on a tour organized by the authorities.
The Syrian authorities on Wednesday escorted some 60 journalists to Hama, where Assad's regime said troops went in to fight "armed terrorist gangs" the president accuses of fuelling the violence.
Troops backed by tanks stormed Hama on July 31, the eve of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, killing 100 people in the single bloodiest day since the crackdown began, activists say.
The regime has sought to crush weeks of protests with brutal force, killing more than 1,600 civilians and arresting at least 12,000 of dissenters, rights activists say.
10 August 2011, 16:49
90
this website is so stupid,
why are use lying for??
say the truth, i hate use so much, iwish i could take down your website cause all you do is lie lie lie, stop lying everyone knows the truth that there are terrorist in syria killing inocent people, and the army is trying to protect the people, yes the army is killing people, but these people are terrorist, which country would accept this kind of people in there country and let them do what they are doing in syria,
do you think that we are stupid or that if you write lies that we are going to belive you??/ well think again cause the truth is out there, and this wesite is going to be the big looser, this web is working for march 14 and we know that march 14 are against the syrian regime, and you will do whatever it takes to make the regime look bad, seriously shame on you shame on you shame on you, the people come to you to hear the truth and you give them lies, i wish you were keen on bahrain as you are on syria and libya , shame on uu
10 August 2011, 16:58
03
Adam ! you are so stupid! with all my respect to your inteligents ! you are so stupid!
10 August 2011, 17:16
06
@adam
So why u don’t go to a smart website and save us the lecture of your stupidity?
10 August 2011, 17:17
06
Adam the families of the martyrs of Syria are weeping over your stupidity.
10 August 2011, 17:29
10
And who the heck is this parasite? THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE IS DEAD! The US empire is dying, too! Ask this parasite to tough it up with those who killed 9 of his own citizens in cold blood instead of making shady deals with their masters. What a coward and an opportunist!
10 August 2011, 17:37
02
Onwards and forward Mr. Prime Minister, the Syrian people are asking for your help!
10 August 2011, 17:41
13
@adam
First, learn how to spell. "use" instead of "you"? really? “belive”, “inocent”?
Second, President Al-Assad and his regime are doing a good job in making themselves look bad. No need for help from Naharnet or anyone in March 14. Look at the international community. Everyone is showing their disgust.
Third, The article isn’t by Naharnet. Look at the source before you bash the wrong website. Go to “Agence France Presse" and tell them that they’re “loosers”.
When Turkey speaks about this, we must all listen. Like Lebanon, Turkey shares a huge border with Syria. And unlike Lebanon, is a military force to be reckoned with. The Syrian people have finally found the courage to stand up for their rights. If you think that they’re living in paradise, I suggest you visit Syria like I did and judge for yourself what the average living conditions are like.
@Phoenicienne
First time we agree!
10 August 2011, 17:57
41
Min d your own business Mr Turkish terrorist And Armenian killer . Tour Sunni plan And friends Will not succeed .
10 August 2011, 18:02
03
Syrian Regime has been good at one thing when dealing with other countries, buying time.... They always buy time and hope to get away with whatever they did. They did that in Lebanon for many years, they have been hoping the STL will get derailed and their name will never be mentioned, now they are pretending to reform until they get in a position to crush any opposition whatsoever.... The Syrian Revolution is like a snow ball that is going to keep growing as it rolls.
Assad should go and retire with his family somewhere else
10 August 2011, 19:02
05
That's it adam. When you run out of things to say, just start swearing at everyone.
10 August 2011, 19:03
05
Ya Adam, this website is working for no one other than the Lebanese and free Arabs, not for March 14, not against March 8 ... if you don't like it, you can go read fairy tales on any syrian news site of your choice.
You remind me of kids that do not want to believe Santa Claus does not exist. The fact is you're either blind, deaf and illiterate or you're part of the Syrian propaganda goons that do nothing but accuse people rather than debate. If what you claim is true, give us arguments, and proof ! Any videos, confessions about these alleged terrorists ? Are there millions of terrorists in Syria ? Where they all trained at the last minute ? Did they just all magically appear ?
Bite the apple and wake up ya Adam... you will finally see the light !
10 August 2011, 19:03
03
Looks like Turkey will in the end be the saviour of Muslims in the Middle East
to "Adam" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rma76poA3iQ&feature=share
10 August 2011, 20:55
31
And who the heck is this parasite? THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE IS DEAD! The US empire is dying, too! Ask this parasite to tough it up with those who killed 9 of his own citizens in cold blood instead of making shady deals with their masters. What a coward and an opportunist!
11 August 2011, 01:10
00
The Armenians are still waiting for an apology. Perhaps they will get it before this punk gets his from Israel. Tough bull
11 August 2011, 02:42
00
من اسیر سیاسی فی ایران تقدم الی شعب السوری البطل
یا شعب دمشق
یاسکان حمص
یا اهل لاذقیه و درعا و بانیاس
یا شعب حما
یا معروف لنا
یا شام
یا بلد الثوره
ایها البطل
رسالتنامن مشهد و طهران و اصفهان
من مرکز ایران حضاره القدم
و من محبس اوین
رساله استقامه و دعوه مقاومه
ان باقتلکم الدیکتاتورقد امر
و الان الثعلب نظار حراکلم
ماذا الان تفعلون
«استسلام ام القیام»؟
یا وارثین دما شهدا لاحصادلها
فی دم الشهدا الثمین ماذاستفعلون ؟
فی ضجیج امهات ماذاستفعلون ؟
هل حیله العدو المصاص للدما
و هل بخدعه الرجل الظالم تخدعون؟
هل لقاتلال رجال الاصفیا
تستسلمون ؟و تکافئون ؟
ها و خیارین امام عیونکم
«استسلام ام القیام ؟»
و هیهات ان للاستسلام تخصعوا
ذره استقامه
قلیل مقاومه
هانسمه الفتح الان قادمه
من تونس و طرابلس
من الشرق و من الغرب آتیه
و نحن الشائبین فی ساحه الصراح
تحت ضغط الظالم لسنابخاضعین
نحن ایضا کما کم
عین علی ساحه الفتح السعید و ناطرین
ان انتصار کم
مقدمه فتحنایکون
و الان قدم صوت الظفر لاذن قد وصل
و الان فتحکم السفیر من المسیر قد وصل
فی اهتزاز ریح
حضرا رایه قیامکم قد وصل
من اسیر سیاسی فی ایران-تهران -اوین
11 August 2011, 06:45
10
im sure nothing i show you will change your mind,
and i think you should take your own advice miss eve.
and go bit something else while i bite the apple.
11 August 2011, 06:50
10
im sure nothing i show you will change your mind,
and i think you should take your own advice miss eve.
and go bit something else while i bite the apple.
