On the issue of the civil war in Syria, Davutoğlu argued that the international community has consistently ignored Turkey's warnings and was only just resolving to go along with what Turkey had advised three years ago. He also said what was happening in Syria threatened Turkey's national security.
"We advised the training and equipping of the moderate Syrian opposition three years ago. While the international community mulled our proposal, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) took over a huge chunk of Syria and Iraq. If the train and equip policy was implemented three years ago, there would have been no ISIS," he said.
For the people of Syria, Turkey subscribes to a third option, apart from the Assad regime and ISIS barbarity, said the prime minister. "Syrians should not be forced to choose between the barbarity of Assad and the barbarity of ISIS."
He said Turkey closely follows events in regions close to its border, noting that if Aleppo were to be captured by ISIS or Assad, Turkey would face a huge refugee influx.
Turkey's policy on Iraq was based on four tenets, he said:
1. Close relations with and support for the central government in Baghdad. Our support for Baghdad is for Iraq's stability.
2. The stability of the Kurdistan Regional Government is very important. The Turkish Armed Services is training the peshmerga.
3. We are supporting the Turkmen community to ensure their security.
4. Our policy in Mosul is focused on preventing a Sunni-Shiite clash.
He said Turkey would not be involved in any actual fighting in Syria or Iraq, but would immediately respond to a direct attack. The offensive against ISIS in Iraq should be handled very carefully, argued Davutoğlu, adding, "Shiite militias should not take over regions from which ISIS is pushed out. There is such a danger in Mosul. There should be Sunni military forces there."
Turkey's priorities concerning ISIS were different to those of the U.S.-led coalition, Davutoğlu underlined. "What happens after ISIS withdraws is of key importance to us. Regions ISIS withdraws from should not be taken over by the Assad regime or Shiite militias. This is not the coalition's priority," he said.
He said the government was concentrating on minimizing the risk posed to Turkey.
