Turkish President Abdullah Gül said Russia and Iran will soon realize they had little choice but to join international diplomatic efforts for the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Today’s Zaman report.
He acknowledged, however, the divisions in the Syrian opposition and its lack of preparedness to take power, saying it must create a structure that embraces all segments of society. "This transformation will no doubt take time."
Turkey has been in the forefront of fostering the Syrian opposition since abandoning its long-time ally Assad over his violent crackdown on protests. The opposition Syrian National Council meets in İstanbul and the 'Free Syrian Army' operates from Turkish soil on the Syrian border.
Turkey and Western and Arab allies were angered by Russia's vetoing, along with China, of a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Assad's use of force, which has intensified in past days with a siege against the city of Homs.
"We have to wait and see how long Russia will be able to take upon itself the burden of this regime," he told Reuters in an interview. "In my opinion, it won't be very long.”
