Turkey’s Gul says Assad speech on reform ‘not enough’

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Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Monday that a speech on reforms by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was “not enough,” and added that Assad should transform Syria into a multi-party system.

“Assad should clearly and precisely say: ‘Everything has changed. We’re transforming the system into a multi-party one. Everything will be organised according to the Syrian’s people will, and I will be carrying out this process’,” Gul said, in the latest sign Turkey is losing patience with its former ally.

Turkey, which until recently enjoyed warm relations with Syria, has called on Assad several times immediately to halt a violent crackdown on protesters and pass democratic reforms.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the crackdown as “savagery,” while Turkey has given sanctuary to some 10,000 Syrian refugees who have streamed across the border.

Ankara repeated that message last week to Hassan Turkmani, Assad’s envoy, who held talks in Ankara with Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Under mounting international pressure, and with protest spreading despite a military crackdown that has killed more than 1,300 people, Assad on Monday promised reforms within months. He said “saboteurs” among the protesters were serving a foreign conspiracy to sow chaos.

Opponents said his proposals did not meet popular demands for sweeping political change.

Ersat Hurmuzlu, an advisor to Gul, told the Dubai-based al-Arabiya channel on Sunday that Assad has less than a week to start implementing long-promised political reforms demanded by Syrian protesters, or face “foreign intervention.” He did not spell out what this meant.

The European Union, which expressed disappointment at Assad’s speech, said it was preparing to expand its sanctions on Syria in response to worsening violence against his opponents.

More than 10,000 Syrian refugees have already crossed into Turkey. Turkish officials say a further 10,000 are sheltering close to the border just inside Syria in the olive groves and rich farmland around the town of Jisr al-Shughour.

MSNBC

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9 responses to “Turkey’s Gul says Assad speech on reform ‘not enough’”

  1. leobetapar Avatar
    leobetapar

    how a tyrannical country who will send any elcted deputy who use it’s native tongue deceny in prison dare to give counsel on democracy.Those young muslims traitors who sleep with the americans in the nato bed have to beware if they don’t want having worse than the salafiste of Syria, i mean a Kurdish uprising >Mr Gul when the wife of the president is not even capable of wearing what please her (the veil) better for this president to shut up OK

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    how a tyrannical country who will send any elcted deputy who use it’s native tongue deceny in prison dare to give counsel on democracy.Those young muslims traitors who sleep with the americans in the nato bed have to beware if they don’t want having worse than the salafiste of Syria, i mean a Kurdish uprising >Mr Gul when the wife of the president is not even capable of wearing what please her (the veil) better for this president to shut up OK

  3. leb_expatriate Avatar
    leb_expatriate

    It is high time Turkey starts moving to re-establish the Ottoman Empire. This is the price the Arabs have paid for their treachery against the Ottomans, years of dictatorships, foreign invasions and corruption by the ruling elite. The restoration of the Khilafah should be the priority of every Muslim in the region. No other system of government will provide us with the protection we so desire. Minorities rest assured your rights will be protected under a proper Islamic system of government. Land within the newly formed Muslim Empire should be appropriated for the self rule of minorities. So long as we are going to remain the little pathetic countries that we are, we’re are always going to be exposed to foreign interferences and meddling. How much more humiliation should we suffer at the hand of foreign occupiers and the hand of our corrupt rulers before we act. The time for inaction has past. Change is now shifting from dream to reality and with hardship comes ease.

  4. leb_expatriate Avatar
    leb_expatriate

    It is high time Turkey starts moving to re-establish the Ottoman Empire. This is the price the Arabs have paid for their treachery against the Ottomans, years of dictatorships, foreign invasions and corruption by the ruling elite. The restoration of the Khilafah should be the priority of every Muslim in the region. No other system of government will provide us with the protection we so desire. Minorities rest assured your rights will be protected under a proper Islamic system of government. Land within the newly formed Muslim Empire should be appropriated for the self rule of minorities. So long as we are going to remain the little pathetic countries that we are, we’re are always going to be exposed to foreign interferences and meddling. How much more humiliation should we suffer at the hand of foreign occupiers and the hand of our corrupt rulers before we act. The time for inaction has past. Change is now shifting from dream to reality and with hardship comes ease.

  5.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    It is high time Turkey starts moving to re-establish the Ottoman Empire. This is the price the Arabs have paid for their treachery against the Ottomans, years of dictatorships, foreign invasions and corruption by the ruling elite. The restoration of the Khilafah should be the priority of every Muslim in the region. No other system of government will provide us with the protection we so desire. Minorities rest assured your rights will be protected under a proper Islamic system of government. Land within the newly formed Muslim Empire should be appropriated for the self rule of minorities. So long as we are going to remain the little pathetic countries that we are, we’re are always going to be exposed to foreign interferences and meddling. How much more humiliation should we suffer at the hand of foreign occupiers and the hand of our corrupt rulers before we act. The time for inaction has past. Change is now shifting from dream to reality and with hardship comes ease.

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