PM Erdogan: Turkey would not allow PKK-linked group to control northern Syria.

By bne IntelliNews July 26, 2012
PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey would not allow the Democratic Union Party (DUP), which is the terrorist organisation PKKs offshoot in Syria, to control the areas along the Turkish border. Turkey would not tolerate the cooperation between the PKK and DUP and if the situation threatens Turkeys security then intervening there is Turkeys natural right, Erdogan said. The PMs comments came shortly after media reports suggesting that the DUP seized several towns in northern Syria along the Turkish border and prospects for a Kurdish state in Syria has been discussed widely in the Turkish press. Erdogan suggested that the Assad regime deliberately turned over the Northern Syria to Kurdish groups. Other opposition groups in Syria are against any Kurdish formation in the north of the country and Turkey supports Syrian oppositions this stance, Erdogan added. Meanwhile Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that not the Free Syrian Army but Syrian opposition groups linked to al-Qaeda seized several checkpoints on the Turkish border. Turkeys customs and trade minister Hayati Yazici yesterday said that Turkey decided to close border crossings temporarily. Yazici explained that the passage of vehicles between the two countries will not be allowed for some time because of security concerns. The ministry of customs and trade announced that Turkeys exports with Syria amounted to USD 319.4mn between January 1 and July 23 while imports were only USD 47mn.

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