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Erdogan slams lack of international action in Syria

November 12, 2015 at 10:26 am

The blood of innocent Syrians killed during the unrest stains the hands of all the countries and institutions which have done nothing to end the war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday.

Issuing what he called a “friendly warning”, Erdogan said: “If you do not take a principled stand against terrorism, at the end this fire will fly back in your face. Those countries who think they are living in confidence and prosperity, should not forget that you never know what can happen tomorrow.”

“The conscience of humanity cannot ignore a structure which does not take action as 370,000 people are slaughtered in a vicious and bloodthirsty way [in Syria]. The international establishments that do not prioritize humanity and human life may have a legal status but they can never overcome their legitimacy issues,” he said.

Erdogan pointed out that Turkey has always criticised the absence of justice in international forums, saying that five countries should not control 200.

Remarking on the refugee crisis, the president said Turkey has spent nearly $8.5 billion on about 280,000 refugees in the camps, stressing that it will continue to stand with the Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

Erdogan criticised what he said was some countries’ “double standards” towards terrorist organisations, stressing that in the event of failure to take a strong stand against these organisations, their terrorism will eventually spread to the entire world.

“Anyone who adds fuel to the Syrian fire will find themselves in the very same fire,” he warned.

The president said the G20 summit, which will be held on 15-16 November in the Turkish city of Antalya, can have a more active role in finding solutions for political, social and global problems that will benefit all of humanity.