DAVOS
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday said that the establishment of a small Alewite (Nusairi) or small Kurdish state in Syria was not possible.
Ahmet Davutoglu spoke at a session titled "Shaping Syria's Future" in the Swiss city of Davos as part of the World Economic Forum on Friday.
"There is a sizable Alewite population in the Syrian cities of Latakia, Banias and Tartus. Around 60-70 percent of the population in these cities are Sunni. Yet they live in peace there. Unless there is a foreign provocation, I do not see the possibility of a separate state in Syria as likely," Davutoglu underlined.
Davutoglu reacted against "those sitting in their capitals and those who criticized Turkey and other countries who have helped the Syrian people and Syrian refugees."
Asked about certain countries and circles holding talks with the Assad regime for the future of Syria behind closed doors, Davutoglu said that the joint UN and Arab League Special Envoy on Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi made some initiatives but they were all fruitless.
Asked if Ankara would accept the Assad regime in a transitional period, Davutoglu said it was not Ankara, Washington or London who would decide on the matter.
"It is the Syrian people who must decide. I salute the Syrian people from here. A nation is resisting against an army which has been bombing its own people by tanks and jets for the past two years and which is now using Scud missiles," Davutoglu indicated.
"It would be a great mistake to leave the destiny of a people in the hands of their killer after so many crimes. Will we accept Radovan Karadzic or Slobodan Milesovic if they wanted to rule Bosnia-Herzegovina after so many massacres?" Davutoglu said.
"I have confidence in the Syrian people. It is a well educated and civilized society. If no provocation takes place against them, the Syrian people will establish the most modern, most peaceful and most comprehensive political system," Davutoglu noted.
Pointing out that the Syrian people lived in peace for centuries with all ethnic and religious groups, Davutoglu criticized the Assad regime for trying to legitimize violence by causing clashes among sects.
"As Turkey, we are at an equal distance to all Syrians. When we see a single Syrian, we only see a brother or a sister regardless of his/her ethnicity or sect," Davutoglu stated.
Asked by the moderator of the panel if Turkey provided arms and weapons to the Syrian opposition, Davutoglu replied that the Turkish people provided the best opportunities possible to Syrian refugees and will continue to do so.
