Turkey authorizes military operations in Syria

ANKARA Turkey’s parliament gave authorization on Thursday for military operations outside Turkish borders if the government deemed them necessary. The authorization to perform military operations in Syria, however, does not mean a declaration of war, claim Turkish officials. Turkey authorizes military operations in Syria Syria has in the meantime apologized to Ankara for missiles that hit Turkish territory on Wednesday. The bill was adopted with 230 votes in favor and 129 votes against. The Turkish Prime Minster Recep Tajip Erdogan’s assistant said this morning that Ankara was not planning on declaring a war on Syria. Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said on Thursday that the authorization to use force in Syria did not mean a declaration of war. "The bill is not for war. It has deterrent qualities," he explained, AP has reported. Reuters has reported Atalay as saying that “Turkey’s priority is to coordinate the response to Syrian attacks with international institutions”. The adopted bill enables the Turkish government to launch foreign military operations for a year, a day after artillery shelling from Syria killed five and wounded nine civilians in the Turkish town of Akcakale. The Turkish government had sought parliamentary approval to send soldiers to foreign countries in a memorandum which said that “aggressive action” by Syria’s armed forces against Turkish territory posed a serious threat to national security, Reuters has reported. The government has stated it is necessary to “react quickly and on time and to take necessary measures against new risks and threats against Turkey,” RIA Novosti has reported. The Russian agency points out that the Turkish parliament was supposed to debate the extension of a mandate for military operations in northern Iraq today. Turkey occasionally performs military operations in Iraq, aimed against the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK). A Turkish official said that the approval of military operations abroad should be seen as a “warning to Syria”. Turkey continued to bomb Syria’s Tel Abjad district, ten kilometers from the Turkish border after mutual shelling on Wednesday. NATO held an emergency meeting and expressed their support to Ankara. NATO officials also warned Syria that it needed to respect the international law. Turkey, once one of Syria’s closest allies, cut diplomatic relations with Damascus when President Bashar al-Assad’s regime started a violent clampdown on protesters last year. The tensions between the two countries additionally increased after Syria shot down a Turkish fighter plane in June. The Turkish parliament (Tanjug) B92 Beta Tanjug

Turkey authorizes military operations in Syria

Syria has in the meantime apologized to Ankara for missiles that hit Turkish territory on Wednesday.

The bill was adopted with 230 votes in favor and 129 votes against.

The Turkish Prime Minster Recep Tajip Erdogan’s assistant said this morning that Ankara was not planning on declaring a war on Syria.

Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said on Thursday that the authorization to use force in Syria did not mean a declaration of war.

"The bill is not for war. It has deterrent qualities," he explained, AP has reported.

Reuters has reported Atalay as saying that “Turkey’s priority is to coordinate the response to Syrian attacks with international institutions”.

The adopted bill enables the Turkish government to launch foreign military operations for a year, a day after artillery shelling from Syria killed five and wounded nine civilians in the Turkish town of Akcakale.

The Turkish government had sought parliamentary approval to send soldiers to foreign countries in a memorandum which said that “aggressive action” by Syria’s armed forces against Turkish territory posed a serious threat to national security, Reuters has reported.

The government has stated it is necessary to “react quickly and on time and to take necessary measures against new risks and threats against Turkey,” RIA Novosti has reported.

The Russian agency points out that the Turkish parliament was supposed to debate the extension of a mandate for military operations in northern Iraq today. Turkey occasionally performs military operations in Iraq, aimed against the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK).

A Turkish official said that the approval of military operations abroad should be seen as a “warning to Syria”.

Turkey continued to bomb Syria’s Tel Abjad district, ten kilometers from the Turkish border after mutual shelling on Wednesday.

NATO held an emergency meeting and expressed their support to Ankara. NATO officials also warned Syria that it needed to respect the international law.

Turkey, once one of Syria’s closest allies, cut diplomatic relations with Damascus when President Bashar al-Assad’s regime started a violent clampdown on protesters last year.

The tensions between the two countries additionally increased after Syria shot down a Turkish fighter plane in June.