Turkish reprisals on Syrian border. Push for NATO intervention
Istanbul
(AsiaNews) - Late yesterday afternoon the Turkish Armed Forces bombed some Syrian
stations near the Turkish-Syrian border. The
retaliation took place in response for the killing of five persons of Turkish
nationality, a mother and her 4 children. A
howitzer based in Syrian territory, hit their house in the town of Urfa
Akcakale, just one kilometer from the border.
Recently,
the citadel of Akcakale has frequently been hit by shells and stray bullets in gun
battles between forces loyal to Assad and anti Assad rebels. But
it is the first time that casualties have been registered among Turkish
citizens.
Ankara's
reaction has been immediate. Through its Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu,
Turkey informed the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who advised moderation. Davutoglu
also informed the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, calling for an
immediate meeting of the Council of NATO members in Brussels, invoking Article
4 of the Statute, to discuss what occurred.
Article
4 of the NATO Statute takes into account the fact that if a member state is
attacked by a third country putting its integrity into jeopardy, they can count
on the political and military support of member countries.
Turkey's
Vice-President Bulent Arinc has said that the response of Ankara is legitimate
and in accordance with international law. Deputy
Prime Minister Besir Atalay said the episode is an attempt to drag and engage
Turkey on the Syrian front and that Syria will have to account for their
actions before the international community.
In
Ankara, Erdogan has called an extraordinary meeting of his government, to
consider the situation amid rumors of large deployment of Turkish troops to the
Syrian border.
Various
interpretations and comments from yesterday are circulating in diplomatic
circles in Istanbul
On
the one hand, it is said that Ankara has constantly been tempted to get
involved in that area which is of increasing strategic importance for its
geopolitical aspirations in the region. At
the same time, through this incident, it is seeking NATO's backing for its ambitions
in order to legitimize any military act. In
Istanbul environments it is said that this is why Turkey has long been
attempting to activate Article 4 of the NATO Statute when conjunctures allow
it.
In
fact, at Ankara's request, a special meeting of its permanent members was
convened last night in Brussels, to study whether the situation should lead to
activating Article 4.
On
the other hand, there are some in Turkey who are calling for caution and ask
that the origin and manufacture of the bullets and shells be carefully examined.
In
this way, Turkey would have to distance itself from the Syrian liberation
forces. But
this would lead Ankara to make yet another about face, which is very common in
Turkish history, and also led to some disappointment among the anti Assad
rebels.
In
any case, the Turkish-Syrian border is becoming increasingly incandescent and
its developments unpredictable.
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