Turkey Calls for Syrian Reforms on Order of ‘Shock Therapy’ – NYTimes.com

By ANTHONY SHADID

KONYA, Turkey — The foreign minister of Turkey said Wednesday that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria must deliver reforms that would constitute “shock therapy” to his country if he had any hope of ending a nine-week crisis that was roiling the region.

The comments by the foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, amounted to a plea by Turkey, which views Syria as its main foreign policy concern and the fulcrum in its ambitious strategy to integrate parts of the Middle East with its booming economy.

Just months ago, Mr. Davutoglu and other Turkish officials had described the warming ties with Syria, a country Turkey almost went to war with in 1998, as perhaps the government’s greatest foreign policy success. Turkish officials now express growing concerns that strife in Syria may inundate their 550-mile border with refugees, and some officials privately worry that Syria may try to exacerbate tensions with Kurds inside Turkey.

Like others, Turkish officials remain unsure whether Mr. Assad is willing — or able — to carry out the reforms that would effectively end the grip of a ruling elite knit by clan, sectarian and personal ties. After speaking with Mr. Assad, some Turkish and Arab officials have questioned whether he even truly appreciates the extent and nature of the determined protests that have posed the gravest challenge to his 11 years in power.

“Now what he needs is shock therapy to gain the heart of his people,” Mr. Davutoglu said in an interview as he campaigned in his hometown, Konya, for a Parliament seat in next month’s elections. “As early as possible.”

via Turkey Calls for Syrian Reforms on Order of ‘Shock Therapy’ – NYTimes.com.