Widespread Arab denunciation of Turkish threats against Syria

The Arab League on Monday called for settling the dispute between Syria and Turkey by peaceful means, as Turkey does not seem intent on de-escalating from the current crisis.

Turkish President Suleiman Demirel, who talked to state-run television late Monday night, said Turkey has done what it could do with Syria. Demirel described President Mubarak, who is mediating efforts between the two countries, as an "intimate" friend of him and of Turkey. He added that Mubarak has always understood the Turkish positions concerning Syria. Demirel repeated his "accusations and threats" against Syria, saying, "Damascus has proven during the past years that it does not deserve to have a dialogue with."

Arab League Assistant Secretary General Ahmad Bin Hali said in his statement that the only beneficiary of this dispute is Israel, carrying out its aggressive policy. He asserted that the negative impact of the Israeli - Turkish military alliance had begun to affect the security and stability of the region.

The Arab League said the tensions negatively affect the historic relations linking Turkey with the Arab world. The Arab League (AL) also called for self-control and treating the reasons of the tension by peaceful means and discussion, within the policies of good neighborhood and mutual respect.

The Arab League's secretary-general, Esmat Abdul Meguid, made a phone call to the Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa in which Abdul Meguid informed al-Sharaa about the developments in the situation. The AL also communicated with its members states, and the general trusteeship of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to examine methods of moving toward de-escalation between Turkey and Syria, as Damascus is a member in the AL and both Turkey and Syria to the OIC.

In Beirut, Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri expressed Lebanon's support for Syria concerning the Turkish threats and called for a diplomatic solution.

For their part, the Palestinian organizations in Damascus condemned the Turkish threats against Syria. In their statement, the Palestinian organizations called upon the Arab states to put pressure on Turkey to cancel the military alliance with Israel and stop all forms of normalization.

Saudi Arabia called for resolving issues between Syria and Turkey by diplomatic means. A statement released at the conclusion of the meeting of the Saudi Cabinet, chaired by King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz on Monday, said that Syria and Turkey are neighborly countries linked by strong interests and should not resort to using force.

The statement said that Saudi Arabia hopes that Turkey would proceed with a dialogue with Syria to settle disputes by peaceful means.

Jordanian Information Minister Nasser Jawdeh said the Jordanian position concerning the tensions between Syria and Turkey is based on the call for dialogue and defusing disputes by peaceful means.

In statements to reporters in Amman on Monday, Jawdeh added that Jordan is ready to exert all possible efforts to find a peaceful solution. He stressed that the eruption of a new crisis in the region is not in the interest of the Arab and Islamic states, alike.

The Islamic World Association in Mecca warned against using force in the Turkish - Syrian dispute.