Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu participated in a live interview on A Haber on Tuesday during which he discussed the downing of a Syrian helicopter by Turkish forces on Monday. Turkey is prepared for any sort of development necessitating the protection of the country's security and national interests, Davutoğlu emphasized, adding, "Although we are not expecting any retaliation from Syria."
Foreign Minister Davutoğlu explained, "The Turkish Armed Forces are ready and have received orders to respond immediately to any form of violation on our borders or national security." Therefore, Davutoğlu said, Turkey is prepared to protect our security and national interests in the face of any possible developments or scenarios that could surface from here on out. "Nobody should have any apprehensions regarding Turkey's and the Turkish Armed Forces' capacity on this issue," stated Davutoğlu, also adding, "Although we are not expecting any retaliation from Syria."
"The Syrian government was well aware"
Commenting on criticism from Syria's General Staff that Turkey was quick to act in response to the Syrian helicopter's border violation, Davutoğlu stated, "To remark that we acted in haste to respond is actually an admission to their crime. Syria's announcement yesterday was actually a statement showing that they indeed committed a crime and have accepted this fact."
Emphasizing that this was a knowing violation of Turkey's border, Davutoğlu reminded that Turkey changed its rules of engagement following the Syria's downing of a Turkish plane last year. "We announced to the entire world that we would not hesitate to respond by taking any form of measure in not only the case of violations but also any element approaching Turkey in a form of threat. The Syrian government was well aware of this," said Davutoğlu adding that the Syrian helicopter Turkish forces downed on Wednesday was not a passenger helicopter jet but was in fact a helicopter that was disposing barrel bombs on the civilian public.
