DAVOS, SWITZERLAND
Turkish foreign minister has criticized lack of an international agreement over how to end the crisis in Syria, saying the international community failed to take a decision even in humanitarian issues.
"Syrians are dying not only in bombardments but the silence of the international community is killing them as well," Ahmet Davutoglu told Wednesday a press conference in Davos, Switzerland, alongside head of UN's World Food Program Ertharin Cousin and Valerie Amos, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.
Davutoglu said Turkey's doors will remain open to Syrians fleeing the civil war in the country, adding that 16 refugee camps in Turkey hosted 160,000 Syrians and additional 60-70 thousand others were staying at homes of their relatives or living in houses they had rented.
"We are treating them as we treat our own citizens. We don't discriminate," Davutoglu said, adding that Turkey had extended humanitarian aid worth of $500 million when contributions by the UN and all other countries were $29 million and $4.5 million, respectively.
"And here is an interesting statistical figure: 2,169 babies were born in Syrian camps in Turkey and non of them has died," Davutoglu said.
He said Turks had raised $10 million in just a week as part of "the Bread&Blanket for Syrians," an international aid drive for internally displaced Syrians.
"We are building a new camp for Syrian refugees with a capacity to house five thousand people. A camp takes a month to set up but only two or three days to fill," Davutoglu said.
The Turkish foreign minister also urged the UN Security Council to take steps to make sure that Syrians in the country's central parts had access to humanitarian aid.
What started as peaceful pro-democracy protests in Syria in March 2011 have since morphed into a bloody civil war which according to United Nations had killed more than 60,000 people.
Davutoglu warns Syrian Kurdish group
Davutoglu said that all groups should keep their distance from the Syrian regime and especially PYD (a Kurdish armed group in Syria which had links with terrorist organization PKK) must do it.
"We will monitor the attitude to be assumed by PYD," said Davutoglu, who is visiting Davos for the World Economic Forum, when replying to questions on NTV channel.
In regard to the recent situation after killing of three Kurdish women in Paris, Davutoglu said that Turkish authorities was in contact with France on the issue, stating that the investigation was being conducted in a great cooperation. Recent evidences showed that driver Omer Guney was the suspect, he said.
Answering a question on Patriot defense system in Turkey, he said Patriot batteries had also been brought to Turkey earlier.
Patriot system was only a defensive measure, he said, adding that if there was no attack, the system would not be activated.
If stability was secured in Syria, Patriots and soldiers would withdraw from Turkey immediately, he said.
Replying to a question on Turkey's EU bid, Davutoglu said, "We hope that Turkey-EU relations will gain a new momentum and have a new atmosphere in the coming period. We are also exerting great efforts in regard to visa liberalization."
Davutoglu met Lebanon and Georgia PMs
Davutoglu met Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati and Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili in Davos where the the World Economic Forum is takin place.
It was stated that Mikati confirmed his visit to Turkey which was planned to be on January 30.
Sources said that Davutoglu and Mikati discussed bilateral relations and developments in East Mediterranean Sea.
Crisis in Syria and its reflections on Lebanon were also assessed in their meeting.
Later on, Turkish FM Davutoglu came together with Prime Minister of Georgia Ivanishvili.
Meeting between Davutoglu and Ivanishvili was based on economic related relations.
Ivanishvili stated that he seeks for more Turkish investments in his country and wants cooperation in energy and transportation fields.
In addition, they discussed the problems of Turkish citizens in Georgia including prisoners and regional issues.
