Why is Turkey in a quarrel with once-friend Syria?: CHP leader

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Oct. 8 slammed the government’s Syria policy, questioning why the relations have turned “hostile” from amicable.

“Why are we at loggerheads with Syria, which was our friend once? Who was saying you should meddle in Syria’s domestic affairs?” Kılıçdaroğlu said, while addressing seven questions to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

“Who was sending arms to the terrorists in Syria over Turkey? Who suggested this, and are they still standing by you?” he added.

Kılıçdaroğlu’s remarks came during a speech at the parliamentary group meeting of the CHP.

The CHP leader also said that Erdoğan pledged to take away the heavy weapons from terrorists in Idlib, during the Astana peace process, yet “tries to take over the ISIL terrorists from the U.S. without keeping the promise.”

“Is this picture befitting Turkey?” he asked.

Kılıçdaroğlu also questioned the costs of such a military operation by Turkey.

“It is clear that you reached an agreement with U.S. over a phone call, yet [U.S. President Donald] Trump is daring enough to threaten. For what did you make a promise? What is the limit you should not cross?” Kılıçdaorğlu asked, referring to a recent tweet by Trump, threatening Turkey to not to cross the line or else face economic devastation.

“If Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the economy of Turkey,” Trump had tweeted on late Oct. 7

In a response to Trump’s tweet, Kılıçdaroğlu said: “No power can threaten the state of Republic of Turkey.”

“But why has the [ruling Justice and Development Party] AKP not objected?” he asked. He added that the first reaction to the said tweet came from the CHP.

“From the very start, we said [to the government] do not enter the Middle East swamp. [We said] let’s be friends with Syria and the Middle East; that there is no point in having a quarrel,” Kılıçdaroğlu has said.

Turkey has cultural, religious and kinship bonds with Syria, according to Kılıçdaroğlu.

“[We said] we can bring peace into the Middle East by gathering around with Syria, Iraq and Iran,” he said.

“But we have become a palace state that receives orders from the U.S. and Russia,” he added.

Turkey has been “floundering” in the Middle East swamp, according to Kılıçdaroğlu.

The Turkish military’s ninth observation post in Idlib, Syria is “problematical,” Kılıçdaorğlu said.

“We can send equipment to the ninth observation post as much as Russia allows us to. [The government] accepts this, but I can’t. I am a real nationalist. I defend my country,” he added.