World Bulletin/News Desk

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will sooner or later be out of power.

Speaking at a joint press conference with South Africa's Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe following a tete-a-tete meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said that Bashar al-Assad was preparing his own end.

Answering a question on the latest developments in Syria, Erdogan said that he held a meeting with al-Assad that lasted more than 3.5 hours when he went to Aleppo for the ground-breaking ceremony of a dam over River Asi at the beginning of 2011.

In that meeting, we said many things on the developments in North Africa and Syria's problems. We have had very good relations with Syria for the past 7-7.5 years. Our families have had good relations. Our President, Foreign Minister and I made efforts to develop our relations with Syria, Erdogan stated.

Yet al-Assad has never kept promises. We now see him rule his people with brutality. Al-Assad has silenced his people with tanks and artilleries on the streets and by killing them. Surely, the dead have become silent. While they may think that the dead people have been silenced, there is one thing that can not be silenced and that is humanity. Humanity can not be silenced. The people of the country will not be silent and no power can remain standing in front of the will of the people, including a regular army. Each passing day, the Syrian opposition is getting closer to their goal. Bashar tries to be on his feet with the support of a few countries, Erdogan stressed.

"Assad will soon go away"

The world is now against Bashar. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday emphasized that the Assad administration has lost all legitimacy, Erdogan indicated.

UN observers must serve in all corners of Syria, Erdogan said.

There must be UN observers in all corners of Syria so we can all learn what is happening there. The UN observers have been fired upon when they entered the village of Al Qubayr. They have seen that humans were burned to death in that village. The observers have seen people whose throats were slashed. Only a person like Assad can do such a brutal thing, Erdogan stated.

What Assad is doing is barbarism and persecution. You can not be prosperous by cruelty. You can not stand on your feet with cruelty. As a country sharing a border of 910 kilometers with Syria, we will not remain silent. I want to make it very clear that Assad will soon go away. He just can not stay in power any longer. Bashar al-Assad is preparing his own end. Who are helping Syria- You know them all. I have discussed the issue of Syria when I visited China and Iran and in my phone talks with Russia. We will visit Russia if time permits. Otherwise, we will talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit, Erdogan also said.

Talks with Russia

Erdogan said that the 'Yemen Model' as proposed by the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, is worth discussing and it would force Syrian President Bashar al-Assad out of office.

Erdogan said that he was not sure if Russia prepared Assad for the 'Yemen Model' or not.
How Assad will leave office is highly important. The 'Yemen Model' is one that could be placed on the table even though there are some problems associated with it presently, Erdogan noted.

Asked about Turkey's next step in reaction to the latest developments in Syria, Erdogan said that the Russian Federation seemed to be on the side of Syria.

During my trip to China, the Chinese President had told me that they had made eight vetoes at the UN Security Council, two of which were on Syria. The Chinese leadership told me that they would not make a veto on Syria again. I am not sure if the Chinese would veto a decision on Syria in the future, Erdogan stressed.

I held phone conversations with Russian leaders Putin and Medvedev on Syria. Based on our phone conversations, we decided to have our foreign ministers work on the Syrian issue. The Russian Federation now has a new offer. The Russians had not participated in a meeting we organized on Syria and now they are in an effort to organize an international meeting themselves. While I am not sure who would attend Russia's international meeting, Turkey is ready to participate in such a meeting. What is crucial is to solve the Syrian problem, Erdogan noted. 

Up ahead is the G-20 summit to take place in Mexico. We will be there in two weeks. We will hold comprehensive talks with heads of state and government there. Based on our talks in Mexico, we will shape a roadmap. The UN Security Council, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) all have an important duty on Syria. The steps to be taken by such entities will determine our steps, Erdogan stated. 

Asked about what he thinks on the 'Yemeni Model' proposed by Russia on Syria, Erdogan said that the model could be debated. 

Under the 'Yemen Model' al-Assad has to leave office. I am not sure if they prepared al-Assad for this. How he will leave office is also important. There are some problems associated with the 'Yemen Model' but it is one that could be placed on the table. We should not forget that Syria is not Yemen. We need to be well aware of this fact and take a step accordingly, Erdogan underlined.

"Annan Plan not an open ended initiative"

Meanwhile, Turkey's Permanent Representative at the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Ertugrul Apakan on Thursday said that the Annan Plan, based on good will, was definitely not an open ended initiative.

Ambassador Apakan conveyed Turkey's views to the UN General Assembly in a meeting on Syria on Thursday.

The Annan Plan is not an open ended initiative. The exploitation of the Annan Plan should not be permitted, Ambassador Apakan said.

Turkey fully supports the six point Annan Plan. The crimes committed against the Syrian people are violation of international laws, the Annan Plan and the decisions of the UN Security Council, Apakan stated.

We have been terrified by the attacks in Hama on Wednesday. It is the responsibility of the international community not to grant immunity to those committing crimes against the civilians in Syria, Apakan noted.
The international community must take additional measures to end violence in Syria, Apakan stressed.

Turkey will continue to work with the Syrian people and the international community so that there is no more tyranny in Syria and that democracy and stability is established based on the legitimate demands of the Syrian people, Apakan also said.