Turkey escalates accusations against Syria

The London based Arab daily al-Quds said on Sunday that diplomatic sources in Damascus explained the escalation of the Turkish government's accusations that Syria, Iraq and Iran support the banned Turkish Kurdistan Workers' Party and Turkey's threat to impose sanctions against Damascus as preparation for launching a joint Turkish - Israeli aggression against Syria.

The Turkish daily Hurriat reported on Saturday that the highest consultation commission in Turkey is preparing political, economic and military sanctions against Syria. The paper quoted officials at the Turkish national security council as saying that these measures, which have been prepared by Turkish governmental and military officials, will be ratified during a meeting of the council to be held later this month. The officials did not elaborate on what sort of sanctions will be applied.

Al-Quds daily noted that officials at the Turkish Foreign Ministry have refused an invitation extended by Syria to discuss disputes over water between the two countries saying that Damascus first has to take effective measures against terrorism. The paper continued that Syria, on the other hand, accuses Turkey of reducing amounts of water reaching the Syrian territories from the Euphrates river which springs from Turkey and flows through Syria to Iraq.

Turkey denies the Syrian accusations. Contacts made at the beginning of this year sending high-ranking officials representing the two countries foreign ministers to the two capitals in order to settle disputes failed.

Damascus criticizes Ankara for its military cooperation with Israel and views this cooperation as targeting Arab interests in the region.