Ribal Al-Assad welcomes Russia's call for Syria and Turkey to exercise restraint and to pursue diplomacy

Russia Warns Turkey, Syria over Tensions near Border

3 October 2012

www.turkishweekly.net

Russia expresses its concerns about the tense situation on the Syria-Turkey border and warns both to avoid tension. Moscow also warns West not to seek ways to intervene in the Syrian crisis, defending political and diplomatic solution

Russia has urged restraint between Turkey and Syria so as to avoid possible cross-border conflicts while telling world powers that they should not seek ways to intervene in the Syrian war.

Both Syrian and Turkish authorities “should exercise maximum restraint” since radical members of the Syrian opposition might deliberately provoke cross-border conflicts for their own benefits, Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said yesterday. The diplomat said Moscow has been worrying about the situation on the Syria-Turkey border. Ankara has repeatedly complained of artillery and gunfire spilling over its border and last week signalled it would take action if there was a repeat of a mortar strike on its territory from inside Syria. Turkey has sent a diplomatic note to Syria over the mortar bomb that hit the southeastern province of Akçakale on Sept. 28.

‘Bomb diplomacy’

Syrian conflicts has been overflowing across the national border and became a destabilizing factor for many neighbouring countries such as Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon, Gatilov said. NATO and world powers should not seek ways to intervene in the Syrian war or set up buffer zones between rebels and government forces, he said.

“In our contacts with partners in NATO and in the region, we are calling on them not to seek pretexts for carrying out a military scenario or to introduce initiatives such as humanitarian corridors or buffer zones,” Gatilov said. Russia stands for a political and diplomatic solution to the Syria issue and opposes outside military intervention under the pretext of civilians protection or the alleged presence of non-existing weapons of mass destruction, the deputy foreign minister said. In addition, “bomb diplomacy” has never achieved its desired results, but only aggravated security situation in the region, he said.

Commenting on the Story, Ribal Al-Assad, Director of the ODFS, said:

"I welcome Russia's call for Syria and Turkey to show restraint and to pursue diplomacy.There is no military solution to this conflict. A diplomatic solution based on the conditions set out in the Kofi Annan Plan is the only way forward.

"If an all out civil war in Syria and the region is to be averted then all parties- the regime, the opposition and their outside backers must act in good faith and support diplomacy to bring about a peaceful end to the crisis. This is the only way to start a political process leading to a peaceful inclusive democratic transition and then to a national unity government and democracy and freedom.

"Therefore Turkey, which is a democratic country and like Syria, has a beautiful mosaic of people, should stop assisting non democratic countries in the region in sending arms and jihadists into Syria and stop following their policy of spreading sectarianism and extremism. Turkey should play a positive and constructive role in helping to end the conflict peacefully.

"All parties should appreciate the fact that the continued violence in Syria and the fueling of sectarianism by some states in the region will lead to an all our civil war and a regional war, where everyone will lose out."