182,000 refugees now in Turkey: Foreign minister

ANKARA - Reuters

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet. AA Photo

The number of Syrian refugees in Turkey has now reached 182,000, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said today, calling on global actors to take the political responsibility on the crisis in Syria.

“We will most certainly take on the humanitarian responsibilities,” Davutoğlu said during his speech at a Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission meeting. “The political responsibility, however, and the sin of it falls first and foremost on the United Nations, and then on the international arena. “

The region is being reshaped, Davutoğlu added, bringing forth the need to act together around mutual values.

“Or we will be leaving the next generations a far more troubled Mediterranean basin,” he added.

Europe failed the test on the Bosnian War, Davutoğlu said, which resulted in the deaths of many innocent people, including women and children.

“The longer a conflict continues, the harder it gets to intervene,” he added.

Davutoğlu also criticized the United Nations for losing credibility, calling the organization to decide quickly on further humanitarian access, and to find ways of forcing punishments on those blocking humanitarian aid in all areas, whether controlled by regime forces or the opposition rebels.

“Hesitation is allowing an opportunity for cruelty,” Davutoğlu said. “Hesitation strengthens authoritarian regimes.”