Local Editor
The Advisor of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, Mazot Ozkan stressed that "Turkey has nothing to do with the fate of the Lebanese men kidnapped in Aleppo about a month ago."
In an interview with "an-Nahar" Lebanese daily, Ozkan confirmed that "the kidnap didn't take place on the Turkish land."
"They haven't come to Turkey and they are still in Syria," the official unveiled.
He further noted that "the Turkish efforts are similar to these made in the liberation of the Iranian hostages."
Ozkan also commented on the Lebanese policy of dissociating the country from the Syrian crisis: "it is good to keep Lebanon away from the conflict in Syria."
"Our position is clear, we are against any divisive sectarian strife that will cause several problems," he declared and warned of "the emergence of any kind of civil war in Lebanon, because it will become regional."
On another level, Ozkan highlighted that his country "reserves the right to respond in accordance with the international laws on shooting down their military aircraft."
"Ankara is seeking to protect its land and rights," he stressed as he clarified that "these positions do not mean we support the establishment of buffer zones or corridors."
The Turkish official further commented on Geneva meeting to solve the Syrian crisis by saying: "We hope to that the Geneva meeting emerges with a new agenda to reach a peaceful transition in Syria."
"The UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's plan failed on the ground," he claimed.
In parallel, Ozkan urged both the Russians and the Iranians to realize that "the conditions on the ground are no longer in the interest of the regime."
"They have to agree on the peaceful transition because they are losing the public opinion in the region," he claimed and noted that " it is certain that the time is running out for al-Assad [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] regime."
Source:an-Nahar daily, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
The Advisor of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, Mazot Ozkan stressed that "Turkey has nothing to do with the fate of the Lebanese men kidnapped in Aleppo about a month ago."
In an interview with "an-Nahar" Lebanese daily, Ozkan confirmed that "the kidnap didn't take place on the Turkish land."
"They haven't come to Turkey and they are still in Syria," the official unveiled.
He further noted that "the Turkish efforts are similar to these made in the liberation of the Iranian hostages."
Ozkan also commented on the Lebanese policy of dissociating the country from the Syrian crisis: "it is good to keep Lebanon away from the conflict in Syria."
"Our position is clear, we are against any divisive sectarian strife that will cause several problems," he declared and warned of "the emergence of any kind of civil war in Lebanon, because it will become regional."
On another level, Ozkan highlighted that his country "reserves the right to respond in accordance with the international laws on shooting down their military aircraft."
"Ankara is seeking to protect its land and rights," he stressed as he clarified that "these positions do not mean we support the establishment of buffer zones or corridors."
The Turkish official further commented on Geneva meeting to solve the Syrian crisis by saying: "We hope to that the Geneva meeting emerges with a new agenda to reach a peaceful transition in Syria."
"The UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's plan failed on the ground," he claimed.
In parallel, Ozkan urged both the Russians and the Iranians to realize that "the conditions on the ground are no longer in the interest of the regime."
"They have to agree on the peaceful transition because they are losing the public opinion in the region," he claimed and noted that " it is certain that the time is running out for al-Assad [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] regime."
Source:an-Nahar daily, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
