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Ankara, Tehran do not advocate regime change in Syria

Politics Materials 18 May 2011 18:45 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, May 18 / Trend A.Tagiyeva/

Experts say the situation in Syria is still difficult and the authorities in many leading countries have already expressed their attitude toward the situation in Syria, excluding Turkey and Iran.

These two countries have not yet voiced the official position on this issue and they have weighty reasons for this, experts believe.

Turkey and Syria have established friendly relations and cooperate in the fight against terrorism, Advisor to the Turkish Prime Minister on Eurasia Geybulla Ramazanoglu said. Therefore, the Turkish authorities do not make any harsh statements about the situation in Syria and President Bashar al-Assad's policy, he added.

"The Turkish and Syrian governments are working closely in many areas for over part 3-4 years, given this Turkey can not speak out against the Assad regime," Ramazanoglu told Trend over telephone from Ankara.

He said it does not give grounds to say that Turkey is doing nothing to establish stability in Syria. Ankara periodically sends the Foreign Ministry's representatives for talks with the Syrian authorities, but does this not in an open and official form, Ramazanoglu added.

"Turkey's policy is very considered one. Ankara is doing its utmost to solve the Syrian conflict, but it is done in a diplomatic manner and without any formal charges against the Syrian authorities," Ramazanoglu said.

He did not rule out that Turkey would change its stance on this issue and take more concrete steps in case of continuation and exacerbation of the Syrian conflict.

Anti-government riots in Syria began in Deraa on March 25. The reason for riots was the arrest of teenagers writing anti-government slogans on walls. These riots later spread to other parts of the country. The population went on streets demanding the release of arrested students. Demonstrations were held in the cities of Latakia, Baniyas, Homs, Hama, and in several suburbs of Damascus.

The demonstrators demanded the holding of political reform and democratization of political life.

Opposition protests in Syria continue despite a government-declared wide-scale program of reforms. Particularly, the emergency law is now abolished in the country. Abolishment of the emergency law that had been in effect since 1963 was the key demand of the opposition.

The constitutional provision, according to which the ruling Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'ath) is a "leading and guiding force in society", is expected to be abolished soon.

Expert on law and political sciences Davoud Hermidas-Bavand believes Turkey and Iran do not make any official statements on the grounds that Tehran and Ankara have established good relations with many Arab countries, through Damascus. The change of power in Syria may affect relations with other Arab countries, he said.

"One should first take into account that the improved relations between Syria and Iran primarily serves to Syria's interests,' Bavand added.

He said the regime change in Syria also does meet the interests of the U.S. and Israel.

"Despite the unresolved issue between Syria and Israel, Damascus did not make specific changes in foreign policy for many years and led a policy more or less profitable for the West ," Bavand added.

Bavan said if the regime changes in Syria, it is unclear what changes might occur with respect to Israel.

The basis of the Syrian-Israeli cease-fire remains returning of the Syrian territories, the Golan Heights occupied by Israel in 1967 during the Six Day War and annexed in 1980.

T.Jafarov contributed to the article.

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