Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Apr 2 accused the UN Security Council of indirectly supporting the “oppression” of the Syrian people by failing to adopt a united stance on Syria. Once a friend of Damascus, Turkey has become a fierce critic of President Bashar Assad over his year-long crackdown on his opponents and has called for the Syrian leader to step down. “In not taking a decision, the UN Security Council has indirectly supported the oppression. To stand by with your hands and arms tied while the Syrian people are dying every day is to support the oppression,” Erdogan said.
In February, the Turkish prime minister described a veto by permanent Security Council members China and Russia of a UN resolution on Syria as a “fiasco for the civilized world.” Russia and China have vetoed two council resolutions condemning Assad for turning his army on civilians. “We will not turn our backs on the Syrian people, we will not leave the Syrian people to their own fate,” Erdogan told a meeting of his ruling AK Party.