Published Wednesday, August 29, 2012 Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday Turkey had discussed with the United Nations the possibility of housing Syrian refugees inside Syria and that Ankara expected the world body to take concrete steps towards this.
"We expect the United Nations to engage on the topic of protecting refugees inside Syria and if possible sheltering them in camps there," Davutoglu told a news conference in Ankara.
Davutoglu said Ankara discussed the issue with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres and the UN aid chief Valerie Amos.
Turkey has floated the idea of a "safe zone" to be set up for civilians under foreign protection as fighting intensifies in a 17-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.
Up to 5,000 refugees a day have been crossing into Turkey over the past two weeks and the United Nations warned on Tuesday that up to 200,000 people could settle in Turkey if the conflict worsens.
Although there is no sign divided world powers are ready to back a buffer zone and no-fly zone, UN Security Council foreign ministers are expected to discuss the idea at a meeting on Thursday which Davutoglu will attend.
France: no intervention without UN mandate
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Wednesday there was no question of moving forward with foreign intervention without backing from the UN Security Council, where Russia and China have vetoed action against Assad's regime.
"We continue to believe in international law," he said.
Fabius admitted that plans to create buffer zones in Syria were "very complicated" and would require the imposition of partial no-fly zones.
Fabius said people displaced by the country's conflict needed to be protected through the creation of buffer zones but that logistical and diplomatic questions were complicating the issue.
"We are thinking about this. It is very complicated. We cannot do it without the agreement of the Turks and other countries," Fabius told France Inter radio.
"But what we want is for things to move forward, to make Bashar (al-Assad) fall as quickly as possible and at the same time find humanitarian solutions," he said.
"A buffer zone is impossible without a no-fly zone," Fabius said. "To ensure the protection (of displaced people), there must be anti-aircraft and air assets," he said, adding that ground forces would also be needed.
French President Francois Hollande said Monday that discussions were under way with allies on the possibility of implementing the zones.
In a television interview to be broadcast by the pro-regime Addounia channel on Wednesday, Assad scoffed at the idea of buffer zones.
"Talk of buffer zones firstly is not on the table and secondly it is an unrealistic idea by hostile countries and the enemies of Syria," he said in advance excerpts of the interview screened by the private channel.
(Reuters, AFP, Al-Akhbar)
"We expect the United Nations to engage on the topic of protecting refugees inside Syria and if possible sheltering them in camps there," Davutoglu told a news conference in Ankara.
Davutoglu said Ankara discussed the issue with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres and the UN aid chief Valerie Amos.
Turkey has floated the idea of a "safe zone" to be set up for civilians under foreign protection as fighting intensifies in a 17-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.
Up to 5,000 refugees a day have been crossing into Turkey over the past two weeks and the United Nations warned on Tuesday that up to 200,000 people could settle in Turkey if the conflict worsens.
Although there is no sign divided world powers are ready to back a buffer zone and no-fly zone, UN Security Council foreign ministers are expected to discuss the idea at a meeting on Thursday which Davutoglu will attend.
France: no intervention without UN mandate
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Wednesday there was no question of moving forward with foreign intervention without backing from the UN Security Council, where Russia and China have vetoed action against Assad's regime.
"We continue to believe in international law," he said.
Fabius admitted that plans to create buffer zones in Syria were "very complicated" and would require the imposition of partial no-fly zones.
Fabius said people displaced by the country's conflict needed to be protected through the creation of buffer zones but that logistical and diplomatic questions were complicating the issue.
"We are thinking about this. It is very complicated. We cannot do it without the agreement of the Turks and other countries," Fabius told France Inter radio.
"But what we want is for things to move forward, to make Bashar (al-Assad) fall as quickly as possible and at the same time find humanitarian solutions," he said.
"A buffer zone is impossible without a no-fly zone," Fabius said. "To ensure the protection (of displaced people), there must be anti-aircraft and air assets," he said, adding that ground forces would also be needed.
French President Francois Hollande said Monday that discussions were under way with allies on the possibility of implementing the zones.
In a television interview to be broadcast by the pro-regime Addounia channel on Wednesday, Assad scoffed at the idea of buffer zones.
"Talk of buffer zones firstly is not on the table and secondly it is an unrealistic idea by hostile countries and the enemies of Syria," he said in advance excerpts of the interview screened by the private channel.
(Reuters, AFP, Al-Akhbar)
Uprooted Palestinian 
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