CHP meets on Latakia agenda: Call to the government

The Republican People's Party (CHP) Foreign Policy Advisory Board held a meeting yesterday under the chairmanship of Chairman Özgür Özel. During the meeting, which lasted approximately three hours, the conflicts and humanitarian crisis in the Syrian city of Latakia were discussed. In the written statement issued after the meeting, it was stated that the CHP is closely monitoring the developments in the region both in terms of Turkey's interests and humanitarian concerns.

The statement emphasized that the CHP has been warning the government about the increasing tension in and around Latakia since December 8, noting, "Despite all our warnings, horrific massacres are taking place in the region. This massacre must be stopped immediately. Our Hatay deputies, who have been conducting investigations in the region, also attended the meeting and shared their observations. Many of our citizens have relatives in the areas where the massacres are occurring who are directly affected by these events. It is clearly seen that the government has remained inadequate regarding the evacuation of citizens of the Republic of Turkey."

''THE ISSUE SHOULD NOT BE DRAWN INTO SECTARIAN DEBATE''

The statement indicated that reducing the tragedy to sectarian debates would cause the humanitarian crisis to be overshadowed, emphasizing that the CHP addresses the issue through its humanitarian dimension rather than through political interests.

The statement, which criticized the government's approach to this crisis, included the following expressions:

"The statements made by the government and the language used by officials essentially ignore the crimes being committed and are of a nature that blames the victimized civilians. It is unacceptable for civilians to be targeted by being held responsible for the crimes of the previous regime or attacks that occurred prior to these events. The security problem in the region persists. Thousands of people have taken refuge in rural areas and the Russian base in the region. There is an urgent need for food and medical supplies."

''TURKEY MUST OPEN A HUMANITARIAN AID CORRIDOR''

Emphasizing that Turkey should lead humanitarian efforts, the CHP called for, "A corridor must be opened to ensure the delivery of food and humanitarian aid from Hatay to Latakia, and aid must be delivered to the region as soon as possible."

The statement emphasized that the instability in the region will not remain limited to Latakia and could affect all of Syria, leading to larger crises.

News Source: 12punto