Turkish President Abdullah Gül has called for a new administration in Syria that represents the will of the people.
Addressing a joint press conference with his Gabonese counterpart Ali Bongo Ondimba in capital Ankara on Wednesday, Gül said the Assad regime in Syria had completely lost its legitimacy.
"After bombing its own people and after this much death, the only thing that should be rapidly carried out is the establishment of a new administration with the will of the Syrian people," Gul was quoted by Turkish media as saying.
Recalling that U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan had announced a peace plan after his first visit to Syria, he said fierce clashes continued, cities were bombed and more civilians killed after the so-called cease-fire had been declared under the plan.
Gül also said exodus of Syrian refugees was speeding up and almost 40,000 Syrians had crossed into Turkey, as was the same in Jordan and other countries.
Gül's statement came after a suicide-bomber struck the national security headquarters in the Syrian capital Damascus killing Defense Minister Dawoud Rajha, his deputy Assef Shawkat, who is also the brother-in-law of embattled President Bashar al-Assad, and several other top security officials that dealt a heavy blow to the Syrian security establishment.
Meanwhile, Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek, who is currently visiting Pakistan, said it was impossible for the current Syrian regime to stay in power.
Referring to the suicide-bombing, Çiçek said it was upsetting to see so much blood and cruelty in Syria. "Turkey has tried hard to avoid the situation in Syria getting to this point. After all this, it is not possible for the current regime to stay in power in Syria. The Syrian people are suffering under the regime. They deserve to live in peace," he said, adding that the international community failed to find a solution for the Syrian crisis so far.
by RTT Staff Writer
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