Turkey voices full support for Turkmens in 'democratic Syria'

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed full support to Syrian Turkmen, saying they should take the place they deserve in a democratic Syria. "Turkey defends and will continue to defend the interests of our Turkmen brothers in all platforms with the loudest voice," Erdogan said March 30 during the establishment meeting of the Syria Turkmen assembly in Ankara. "The Syrian Turkmen should take part in broad and inclusive platforms that can make their voices heard so that they acquire the place they deserve as one of the constituting [peoples] in a democratic Syria. That’s why I support the establishment of an assembly that is expected to be the voice and the inner conscience of Syrian Turkmen," he said. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu advised Syrian Turkmen to forget the past and start making plans for the future. "Whatever conflict you have between yourselves, keep your unity." Davutoglu also commented yesterday on a recent Israeli apology to Turkey for Mavi Marmara raid in 2010, which killed nine Turks. He suggested that the amount of compensation Israel is now expected to pay the families of the victims is not a real issue for Ankara, as the apology is significant because "Israel was made to pay a price" for its action. "They [Israel] will know that they are equal [to other countries] and thus they will know how to apologize," he said at a meeting organized by the ruling Justice and Development Party’s Manisa branch. "Turkey does not need the money that will come as a compensation payment. What is important here is that Israel is made to pay a price." He also said they were the heirs of a world state. "If we are not, the generations following will become citizens of a world state."