Turkey’s Foreign Minister Says Turkey Does Not Have a Hidden War With Iran

ANKARA (A.A) – Turkey’s foreign minister said late on Friday that Turkey did not have a hidden war with Iran.

Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey-Iran relations were not a relationship that was a reflection of Shiite-Sunni competition.

“We do not have a hidden war with Iran,” Davutoglu told a televised interview.

Davutoglu said there was nothing more natural than two countries situated in the same geography to have cooperation and also competition.

“In some issues you cooperate and in some others you compete,” he said.

On developments in Syria, Davutoglu said Turkey was supporting Arab League’s initiative and there was no change in Turkey’s stance.

Davutoglu said the situation in Syria had been threatening public order and the critical threshold had been exceeded.

Under these circumstances, all possibilities should be used and change should be ensured, but this change should not turn into an internal clash, Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said Turkey did not want any international intervention in the region.

“We do not want any equation like NATO on one side and Syria and Iran supporting the Syrian administration on the other side. This will bring a cold war equation, which we do not want to see in the region,” he said.

Davutoglu said Turkey wanted regional mechanisms like the Arab League and Organization of the Islamic Cooperation to increase pressure on Syria and help complete the process as soon as posible.

“It is not possible for an administration that has been in tension with its own people to go on ruling the country,” Davutoglu said.

“The administration will either seek ways to restore peace with its people, and clearly show its will for peace and show that it is ready to hand over the administration, or it will lose its international legitimacy gradually and even countries supporting it will see that it does not have any chance to survive or they will realize that they can no more back this country,” Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said he did not consider any interreligious war in the region as a right thing, but noted that tension between Salafi and Shiite beliefs had risen so much.

Saturday, 7 January 2012

Anadolu Agency

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