Partners forum for UN alliance of civilizations begins

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday made a speech on the sidelines of a summit of the Alliance of Civilizations in Istanbul. Touching upon last weekend's massacre in the village of Houla where more than 100 people were killed, many of them children, Erdogan said, "These are our children who are massacred in Hama, Homs and Houla, as much they are the children of desperate Syrian families," adding that the world should not remain silent in the face of oppression. "As we sincerely believe that friendship and brotherhood could prevail the entire world, we also talk about the Alliance of Civilizations against the Clash of Civilizations in a considerably strong and sincere way," Erdogan said. For his part, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "I demand that the government of Syria act on its commitments under the Annan peace plan. A united international community demands that the Syrian government act on its responsibilities to its people," adding, "We hear a great deal about the so-called clash of civilizations, the supposed rift between predominantly Muslim and Western societies. This is not what is going on in Syria. There, it is the old story of a tyranny seeking to hold power. And in seeking to hold power, the regime threatens to exacerbate tensions among Syria's diverse people, much as we saw in the former Yugoslavia two decades ago." Ban added that they were not there to play the role of passive observer to unspeakable atrocities. As part of the summit, Erdogan also held separate talks with Ban, as well as some other leaders including Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Lebanese Prime Minister Necip Mikati, Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer and Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Basendwah at his office in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace.