Erdogan Says Turkey Seeks New International Initiative on Syria
February 07, 2012, 1:34 PM ESTBy Emre Peker
Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey is using “all diplomatic channels” to work with the international community and initiate new measures to stand by the Syrian opposition and stop President Bashar al-Assad’s deadly crackdown of dissent.
Russia and China’s veto of a United Nations resolution to facilitate political transition in Syria gives Assad a “license to kill,” green-lighting more violence, Erdogan told members of the governing Justice and Development Party in the Ankara parliament today.
Assad broke all promises of reform and is following the steps of his father down a “dead-end street,” Erdogan said in televised comments. The Syrian president is no hero and his actions smack of cowardice, the premier said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Emre Peker in Ankara at epeker2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steve Bryant at sbryant5@bloomberg.net
