CHP proposes 6-step plan on Idlib after Tehran summit

ANKARA

A senior official from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has suggested the Turkish government should immediately ask all groups in the rebel enclave in Idlib to cease fire and to make intensive efforts to achieve this goal.

Since the Tehran summit failed to resolve legitimate concerns voiced by Turkey, there are still concerns that a human tragedy is likely to happen in the Syrian province of Idlib.

Ünal Çeviköz, the deputy leader of the CHP responsible for foreign affairs, proposed a six-step plan to the Turkish government, as Russia and Iran failed to solve concerns over a potential large-scale military operation at the hands of the Syrian army, in a written statement issued on Sept. 8.

“It is noteworthy that in the declaration published at the end of the meeting, there is no assurance to guarantee the prevention of the conflict in Idlib. This situation shows the possibility of experiencing a human tragedy in Idlib is very likely to happen. Such a development will provide the basis to a major new wave of migration towards Turkey,” Çeviköz said.

He recalled that a military operation by the Syrian army not only threatens the security of the civilian population living in the region but also poses a serious threat to the existence of the Turkish Armed Forces in observation missions established in the region.

Çevikoz urged the Turkish government to take the following steps immediately:

- The United Nations and all relevant institutions and countries should be called to help and cooperate to evacuate the civilian people and non-terrorist groups from Idlib and relocate them in a safe location within the borders of Syria.

- Turkey should ask all oppositional groups in Idlib to cease fire and should make intensive efforts to achieve this goal.

Idlib is a question of national security for Turkey

- Idlib is a question of national security for Turkey. It is time for Turkey to strongly emphasize this point of view during our negotiations with Moscow and Tehran. It is also time for Turkey to contact the Syrian administration and work on revitalizing the 1998 Adana Consensus spirit between the two neighboring countries.

- Talks with the United States on Syria should not be limited to Manbij and issues related to the Democratic Union Party/People’s Protection Units (PYD/YPG). The United States should be informed about the Astana and Sochi processes as well as the Tehran meeting and talks should be expanded to involve the Syrian problem in a wider context.

- The humanitarian dimension of the issue comes to the forefront during negotiations with the EU, and it can be seen the purpose is to prevent a new refugee problem. Turkey should work attentively and patiently to explain to the EU that the Idlib issue poses a threat to its national security and concentrate on cooperating with the EU to help establish peace and stability in Syria.

- In order to ensure the units of the Turkish Army located around Idlib for observatory missions are not exposed to an attack, Turkey should strongly supervise and control the groups that might provoke the Syrian administration for such a move and take the necessary actions to ensure the safety of our soldiers.