Top boss backs anti-war stance and urges calm

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Ümit Boyner says Turkey has to find a midway for dealing with the crises in Syria. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

Turkey’s leaders will not stand idle by the strong anti-war sentiment voiced by the general public, Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) Chairwoman Ümit Boyner said, adding that recent slow growth in the Turkish economy was another factor.

“The economic conjuncture is in a jam and Turkey has to deal with low growth. In addition to those problems if the world does go into such a political problem, things will get harder for all,” she told the Hürriyet Daily News at the awards ceremony for TÜSİAD’s competition for university students in Istanbul yesterday.

The Turkish economy is estimated to grow 3.2 percent in 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said Oct. 9, adding that the year-end inflation target was 7.4 percent. The 2012 growth target had previously been 4 percent.

Boyner said it was obvious that Turkey was in a hard situation now and it has to find a midway for dealing with the crises in Syria. “Being calm and deterrent is the best formula and Turkey has to accomplish this,” she said.

Parliament gave the government the green light to use military force against Syria if necessary on Oct. 4, following Syria killing five Turkish citizens in Akçakale. Thousands of people staged an anti-war protest in Taksim Square last week to demonstrate against a possible war with Syria.