Brussels, 04/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 4 October, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton strongly condemned the shelling by Syrian forces the previous day of the Turkish border town of Akçakale, which killed five and left nine injured. This incident “illustrates clearly the tragic spill-over effects of the Syrian crisis in neighbouring countries”. Ashton again called on the Syrian authorities “to put an immediate end to the violence and fully respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all neighbouring countries”, saying that “violations of Turkey's sovereignty cannot be tolerated”. Ashton said that she is in contact with the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, and that she had spoken to him by telephone on Thursday.
The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, also strongly condemned the shelling, saying that “this violation of international law constitutes a serious threat to peace and to international security” (our translation). He said that the Syrian regime's acts of violence must stop immediately - both within out outside its borders - and he expressed his solidarity with Turkey.
Call for calm. Ashton also called for restraint from “all sides”, although Ankara is bombing targets in Syria in reprisal. Syrian soldiers have reportedly been killed. Michael Mann, Ashton's spokesman, said that “any escalation of the violence would not be welcome”, adding that any militarisation of the conflict will bring more suffering to the Syrian people and neighbouring populations. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that the response in Turkey to the Syrian mortar attack is “understandable” but that “an escalation of the situation should be avoided”. He expressed his solidarity with Turkey, describing the Syrian shelling as “an outrageous act”.
Turkey adopts a law authorising military operations in Syria. On Thursday, the Turkish parliament adopted a government motion authorising the army to carry out operations in Syria, “if necessary”. The deputy prime minister, Besir Atalay, said that the law does not give a mandate for making war on Syria but that it has a dissuasive quality. This law “is a warning”, according to one of the prime minister's advisers. The Syrian authorities have apologised for the shelling and have given assurances that a similar incident will not happen again. (CG/transl.fl)