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Refugee intake 'should give Turkey major influence over Syria peace talks' Refugee intake 'should give Turkey major influence over Syria peace talks'
(7 months later)
Turkey has the right to a decisive influence on Syrian peace talks due to start next week as the sheer number of refugees has made it the “second largest Syrian country in the world”, the Turkish prime minister has said.Turkey has the right to a decisive influence on Syrian peace talks due to start next week as the sheer number of refugees has made it the “second largest Syrian country in the world”, the Turkish prime minister has said.
Ahmet Davutoğlu, who is visiting London for talks with David Cameron, said it was unimaginable that the estimated 2.5 million refugees in the country would return if the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, remained in power beyond a transition period.Ahmet Davutoğlu, who is visiting London for talks with David Cameron, said it was unimaginable that the estimated 2.5 million refugees in the country would return if the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, remained in power beyond a transition period.
“No country has more to say on these peace talks than Turkey because 2.5 million Syrians are in Turkey,” he said. “It is for us now a domestic issue if there is no well-established peace in Syria. If Assad is sitting there in Damascus, no Syrian will go back.”“No country has more to say on these peace talks than Turkey because 2.5 million Syrians are in Turkey,” he said. “It is for us now a domestic issue if there is no well-established peace in Syria. If Assad is sitting there in Damascus, no Syrian will go back.”
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All-party talks under UN auspices are due to start in Geneva next week, but there is increasing doubt about how substantive those talks will be and who will be permitted to take part. A briefing at the UN in New York in Monday underlined the hurdles, and invitations to the talks have been delayed.All-party talks under UN auspices are due to start in Geneva next week, but there is increasing doubt about how substantive those talks will be and who will be permitted to take part. A briefing at the UN in New York in Monday underlined the hurdles, and invitations to the talks have been delayed.
Echoing the views of the official Syrian opposition, Davutoğlu insisted that the Kurdish Democratic Unionist party (PYD) could not join the opposition delegation at the talks, claiming it was complicit with the Assad regime.Echoing the views of the official Syrian opposition, Davutoğlu insisted that the Kurdish Democratic Unionist party (PYD) could not join the opposition delegation at the talks, claiming it was complicit with the Assad regime.
“The PYD has not been a real opposition – there has been close co-ordination between the PYD and the regime,” he said.“The PYD has not been a real opposition – there has been close co-ordination between the PYD and the regime,” he said.
The Russians have been calling for the Kurds to be represented, but Turkey has been locked in a decades-long battle to resist demands for Kurdish autonomy. The PYD is the Syrian affiliate of the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and the US. Turkey has been fighting the PKK in its south-east since a ceasefire between the group and Ankara ended last year.The Russians have been calling for the Kurds to be represented, but Turkey has been locked in a decades-long battle to resist demands for Kurdish autonomy. The PYD is the Syrian affiliate of the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and the US. Turkey has been fighting the PKK in its south-east since a ceasefire between the group and Ankara ended last year.
Davutoğlu added a further precondition to the talks, insisting there must be a lifting of the “medieval sieges” of Syrian towns. He said these sieges were designed by the regime as “a war strategy to kill through hunger.”Davutoğlu added a further precondition to the talks, insisting there must be a lifting of the “medieval sieges” of Syrian towns. He said these sieges were designed by the regime as “a war strategy to kill through hunger.”
The Turkish prime minister’s presence in Downing Street provoked a strong protest in Whitehall, with Kurds breaking through police lines and trapping some cabinet ministers in No 10 for up to 30 minutes.The Turkish prime minister’s presence in Downing Street provoked a strong protest in Whitehall, with Kurds breaking through police lines and trapping some cabinet ministers in No 10 for up to 30 minutes.
Although warnings about the delegations and agenda for the Geneva talks may yet be overcome, the disputes underline the Herculean diplomatic task of trying to align so many interests, factions and regional powers.Although warnings about the delegations and agenda for the Geneva talks may yet be overcome, the disputes underline the Herculean diplomatic task of trying to align so many interests, factions and regional powers.
Davutoğlu has been accused of not doing enough to stem the flow of refugees to Europe, as well as the number of foreign fighters reaching Syria. He said he found absurd the European complaint that he was presiding over a modern slave trade by turning a blind eye to human trafficking.Davutoğlu has been accused of not doing enough to stem the flow of refugees to Europe, as well as the number of foreign fighters reaching Syria. He said he found absurd the European complaint that he was presiding over a modern slave trade by turning a blind eye to human trafficking.
He pointed out that none of the €3bn promised by the EU in October to cover the cost of keeping the Syrian refugees and discouraging them from travelling to Europe had yet been provided.He pointed out that none of the €3bn promised by the EU in October to cover the cost of keeping the Syrian refugees and discouraging them from travelling to Europe had yet been provided.
For his part, he said he had introduced work permits for any Syrian in Turkey for more than six months and restricted visas to any Syrian arriving in Turkey by air, in an attempt to stop those transiting to Europe via the Aegean. The EU, by contrast, had failed to unlock the funding agreed in October due to disputes over the cost. Davutoğlu is due to see the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Friday to discuss the hold-up.For his part, he said he had introduced work permits for any Syrian in Turkey for more than six months and restricted visas to any Syrian arriving in Turkey by air, in an attempt to stop those transiting to Europe via the Aegean. The EU, by contrast, had failed to unlock the funding agreed in October due to disputes over the cost. Davutoğlu is due to see the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Friday to discuss the hold-up.
He claimed Turkey had spent $8bn to cover the costs of the camps alone, but with only 280,000 people inside the camps and a further 2 million outside, the true cost to Turkey is much higher.He claimed Turkey had spent $8bn to cover the costs of the camps alone, but with only 280,000 people inside the camps and a further 2 million outside, the true cost to Turkey is much higher.
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Nearly 700,000 Syrian school-age children are getting education in Turkey and the health service is open to all Syrians free of charge. Davutoğlu said: “You do not see any anti-refugee, anti-immigration or anti-foreign protest in Turkey.”Nearly 700,000 Syrian school-age children are getting education in Turkey and the health service is open to all Syrians free of charge. Davutoğlu said: “You do not see any anti-refugee, anti-immigration or anti-foreign protest in Turkey.”
Davutoğlu, who portrays himself more as an academic historian forced to take difficult decisions than a politician, said the collapse of the 2011 Arab Spring protest movement meant the region was riven by sectarianism and ethic rivalries.Davutoğlu, who portrays himself more as an academic historian forced to take difficult decisions than a politician, said the collapse of the 2011 Arab Spring protest movement meant the region was riven by sectarianism and ethic rivalries.
“I feel pain. Syria has been the most moderate Arab and Middle Eastern society save after Lebanon – moderate in the sense there was no radical Shia or Sunni extremism,” he said. “Syrian society has been a pluralistic society – in all cities there were different ethnicities. Now we have Daesh [Isis] which is not fitting to the Syrian culture.”“I feel pain. Syria has been the most moderate Arab and Middle Eastern society save after Lebanon – moderate in the sense there was no radical Shia or Sunni extremism,” he said. “Syrian society has been a pluralistic society – in all cities there were different ethnicities. Now we have Daesh [Isis] which is not fitting to the Syrian culture.”