UN spokesman's remarks on arms shipment to Syria were not directed at Turkey (FM Cavusoglu)

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Remarks by a UN spokesman about arms shipments to warring Syrian forces were not directed at Turkey, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Thursday.

In a live interview with the private A Haber TV channel, Cavusoglu said that several newspaper stories claiming that the UN had criticized Turkey about arms deliveries to Syria were wrongheaded.

Cavusoglu said: "It is not true that the remarks [by UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric] was directed at Turkey as stories published in one or two newspapers said. The spokesman just recalled the UN's resolutions and its position on this issue."

A number of reports in the Turkish media quoted UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric as saying: "The fundamental principle of the secretary-general is definite. The UN supports peace-oriented acts for resolution of the conflict in Syria. The UN is against arms shipments to any of the warring sides in Syria."

Cavusoglu said: "When the international organizations want to make such statements, they either hold a press conference, or they answer a question in a press event, or they make a written statement."

Referring to Dujarric remarks, Cavusoglu said: "He did not say these in a press conference. This was a remark in response to a question asked as he walked in the aisle."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday lodged a criminal complaint against Can Dundar, the editor-in-chief of the Cumhuriyet newspaper that carried images allegedly showing arms being transported to Syria by the Turkish intelligence service....
www.aa.com.tr
4/6/15
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