'Turkey never calls for war', says Turkish FM

ANKARA

Turkey has never invited and encouraged foreign military intervention in the region, said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stressing that Turkey never called for war anywhere in any period.

Seeing Syria hand over the chemical weapons stockpiles as an indisputable and certain solution would not bring peace, if it meant to the Syrian regime 'You will never be imposed sanctions no matter how many people you kill unless you use chemical weapons'," said Davutoglu speaking at the joint press conference with Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Santos Lopez in Ankara.

"I am telling it directly; using chemical weapons is a crime against humanity. Whoever has got the weapons and use them, they are committing a crime against humanity and will face the strongest international sanctions," he said stressing Turkey would never approve of allowing those to provide chemical weapons.

Concerning Syria's handing over its chemical weapons assets, Turkish minister said those who were responsible for the chemical weapons attack which he said killed 1,700 people as well as those 100,000 people killed since the beginning of the civil war in the country had to be imposed sanctions. "International community should pay attention to the implementation of the international law," he said, "What will bring peace in the region is taking steps to stop the attacks of Syrian regime."

Davutoglu also accused the international community and UNSC of not taking early steps to prevent the deaths of thousands of people in Syria's civil war.

- We say 'stop the war'

Turkey is not calling for war, but is calling on the international community to stop the war, Davutoglu stressed and said, "It is the Syrian people and the neighbouring countries who paid the price for the on-going civil war that should have already been stopped until now. We say that is enough. Do something as UN and stop the war."

Stating the end of war would mean the end of the regime's cruelty to the civilians, Davutoglu said crimes against humanity which killed innocent civilians had to face sanctions under international law.