Turkey meddling in Syria serves Israel, US interests: Turkish MP

Oktay Vural said in a press conference in Ankara on June 14 that Turkey’s interference in Syria is aimed at ensuring the security of Israel.

Vural also stated that Washington is seeking to get Turkey engaged in the Syrian turmoil that began in March 2011.

The Turkish lawmaker also warned against a foreign plot to disintegrate Turkey by inciting “ethnic division” in the country.

The comments came several days after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan censured the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over its approach to reforms in the Arab country.

“I have not seen him (Assad) approach reforms with a democratic understanding,” Erdogan told reporters in Ankara on June 3.

The Turkish prime minister also stated that President Assad is taking “an autocratic approach” to the issues inside Syria.

Erdogan made the remarks on the same day when Assad said in a televised address to the parliament that Syria is “facing a war from abroad.”

Turkey has also expressed its support for arming the rebels fighting against the Syrian government over the past months.

On March 4, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the “international community’s message might be conveyed to the Syrian administration via certain methods including the arming of the (so-called) Syrian National Council (SNC).”

The Syrian president said the country was also “facing attempts to weaken Syria [and] breach its sovereignty.”

“Standing up against the conspiracy is not easy, but we will overcome the obstacles,” Assad stated.