PM: Turkey may invoke NATO's article 5 over Syrian border fire

In a statement that may be interpreted as the harshest response yet to the escalating 13-month-old Syrian crisis, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the first time on Wednesday raised the possibility of calling on the NATO military alliance to protect Turkey's border against incursions by Syrian forces. Speaking to reporters travelling with him during his official visit to China, Erdogan said Turkey may consider invoking NATO's fifth article to protect Turkish national security in the face of increasing tension along the Syrian border. His comments came after four Syrians who fled to Turkey from the violence in Syria were killed by Syrian forces targeting refugees on the Turkish side of the border on Monday. "NATO has a responsibility to protect Turkish borders," said Erdogan, signaling that Turkey may officially ask NATO members to apply Article 5 of the NATO Charter, which says that an attack on any member shall be considered to be an attack on all, if the situation in Syria becomes a serious enough threat to Turkish national security. The article was invoked by the US for the first time in October 2001, when NATO determined that the terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City were indeed eligible under the terms of the charter. Erdogan stated that Turkey would closely follow the developments in Syria. "Turkey's sensitivities are clear on the Syrian issue. We will follow the Syrian situation closely at the United Nations," he said. When asked whether there is a possibility of the continuation of the Baath regime in a post-Assad period, Erdogan stated that Baath members are standing with the current regime. If the regime topples, the Baath party will also collapse. "In Iraq, the Baath party collapsed with Saddam's decline, and only some ruins of it are left behind. Some want the Baath regime in Syria to stand because they want the autocratic system to continue. But we [Turkey] wish for Syria to have a multiparty democracy," Erdogan said. Erdogan lobbied the Chinese government on Syria during the visit. He said that China has moved from its earlier position after Turkey explained what has really been happening inside Syria. "The death count has reached nearly 10,000. We shared our concerns on this topic with the Chinese side, particularly with Chinese President Hu Jintao. They said they don't approve of this situation," said Erdogan.