TURKS WANT PEACE

It seems that the tensions between the two countries after the Syrian air defence forces shot down a Turkish military aircraft will not subside any time soon. In this context, the position of Turkey's NATO allies on the issue is very significant. What will happen in the future? We asked the well-known Turkish political scientist and expert on military and strategic questions, Mr Mesut Ulker, to share his opinion.

- Since Syria shot down a Turkish aircraft in international airspace, there has been some tension in the region. What do you think will be the specific consequences of the incident?

- Having shot a Turkish aircraft in international airspace, Syria first of all showed its aggressive stance. Probably, in this way they wanted to respond to repeated accusations of massacres and crimes against humanity in Syria from the international community led by neighbouring and brotherly Turkey and to demands for an immediate solution to this issue in accordance with the aspirations of the Syrian people. Nonetheless, due to the ongoing slaughter of civilians in the territory of the neighbouring country, the world community led by Turkey and the Friends of Syria group has started thinking about intervention. Without abandoning its position and hostilities, Syria itself is almost inviting the international community to find a solution to this problem. In addition, active players interested in weakening the influence of Turkey in the region are trying to weaken its positions here and destabilize the situation by setting Turkey against Syria.

On the other hand, by targeting a Turkish plane, the totalitarian regime of Syria is trying to cover up its actions and influence domestic public opinion through the formation of an image of a foreign enemy in order to continue the domestic hard line and mass murders.

- Turkey's allies in NATO and the United States in particular stood up for Turkey. Can we say that it is an excuse initiated by NATO to invade Syria?

- First of all, Turkey is a NATO member. According to Paragraph 5 of the NATO Charter, an attack on any member country of NATO is considered an attack on other members of the Alliance. In principle, this is enough to justify an invasion of Syria. However, the aforesaid paragraph does not mention a downed aircraft as the grounds for the United States and NATO to declare a war. Nevertheless, Turkey, with support from NATO, declared its readiness to "hold the perpetrators to account". NATO, in turn, assesses the situation as a crisis between Turkey and Syria. So, I do not think this is a pretext for an attack on Syria. Turkey announced to the world that it will not start a war against Syria, but taking advantage of international law and based on advice from the international community, it will wage a fight. At the same time, it expects Syria to confess, offer an official apology and pay compensation.

- Syria has denied all accusations. If you remember, the main mufti of Syria said his country is implementing reform, while the West wants to eradicate Islam in the region. He also claims that Qatar and Saudi Arabia will be the next targets of Western forces after Syria. Do you think Bashar al-Assad is right when he says that foreign forces are interested in dismembering Syria?

- First of all, the whole world is demanding that Syria immediately end violence and brutality against its own people. With a closer analysis of the Western world's relations with the region in general and the situation with the "Arab spring" in particular, it is not difficult to guess that to begin with, the West wants to stop the violence and to secure the departure of the sectarian and brutal regime of Assad, who has lost the trust of his people. The Western world, of course, wants kings and dictators in this region to switch to a system that their people want. The problem here is not only Assad, but that this country cannot be controlled by force and with a totalitarian way of thinking. If similar events take place in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the West will try to intervene there as well. This issue concerns not only the West, but the whole world. It is time to end the violence and brutality against the people and establish a democratic regime in Syria. The world has ceased to be the world of people who think they can do anything.

- How will the events that are taking place in Syria now and will happen in the future affect Turkey itself?

- Turkey sincerely wants the kindred, neighbouring and Muslim country - the Syrian people - to choose their own future. And Turkey wants it not only for Syria but for other countries. Turkey understands that what is built on violence will collapse sooner or later. Turkey is always close to the Syrian people and believes that democratization, development, stability and reliable good neighbourly relations with friendly and brotherly Syria are incompatible with the Assad regime. Any positive change will please Turkey and it will continue its support, because it believes that the region needs stability and security.

- What forces are interested in weakening Turkey's influence in the region?

- In recent years, the economic, social and diplomatic achievements of Turkey have made it an attractive country. Turkey wants to implement as many as possible common projects and develop together with the fraternal countries of the Caspian and Central Asian regions and stable Balkan and Middle Eastern countries.