Turkish Government Memorandum Regarding

TO Osman Gunes, Deputy Minister of the Interior, G overnment of dud FROM Tolgahan P? narsayha, Political Advisor to the administration of turkey DATE 10/3/2012 SUBJECT Addressing the Syrian Refugee Crisis Summary The Turkish governance has spent over $300 million providing for safees fleeing the conflict in Syria 1. As a conterminous country with big links to Syria through culture and religion on board being a democratic country that recognizes transnationalist laws regarding refugees, Turkey has an cartel to continue to admit civilians from Syria into its southern provinces.By analyzing Turkeys political ideals, its alliance to outside(a) laws and its ties to Syria and the Moslem orb, I emphasize the Governments traffic towards addressing the refugee crisis above any other related issue (as will be further discussed) in this report. Problems associated with the Governments Allocation of Resources Important issues that may have a bearing on Turkeys planning of adequa te resources to refugees include its stick up for the Syrian rebels lack of international carry out in Syria and lack of international aid to Turkey in providing tending and accommodation to refugees 1.These issues may need to be addressed before the Government can completely fulfill its duty towards the safeguarding of innocent civilians. Turkeys Responsibility as a Regional Power The border betwixt Turkey and Syria stretches 877 km, and is for both countries the longest land border they share with a neighbor 2. This is significant as the Turkish Government can look for to take in comparatively larger numbers of refugees with relation to Syrias other border states. In the past Our responsibility to accept refugees at arises from the fact that both Turkey and Syria share extensive historical, cultural and ghost identical ties.Both are sections of the OIC and are Muslim countries, and in the eyes of the Islamic world, Turkey has an automatic duty to house fellow Muslims fleei ng from the violence. This responsibility is more important for Turkey because it has interests in brinytaining strong relations with the predominantly Muslim Arab world by accepting refugees it is alike portraying an image of solidarity with the Syrian people, and this would serve up strengthen ties with the Arab world which, in light of recent protests for freedom and land which have been collectively termed as the Arab Spring, is largely in support of Syrian encounter forces.International Obligations towards the Protection of Victims of Prosecution Turkey is a member of the United Nations (UN), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), three international agencies that determine the laws and relations that Turkish Government is bound by while it addresses the ongoing refugee crisis in the countrys southern provinces.In adherence with international law and as an upholder of Turkeys democratic and liberal ideals, the Tur kish Government has a basic duty to protect and provide refuge to Syrian refugees fleeing from persecution, as state in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Options Re-allocating resources or calling for international assistance From the outset of the war the Turkish Government has undoubtedly been in support of the rebel cause. The Government must seriously consider the push this may be having on its allocation of resources to accepting and accommodating refugees.As previously mentioned, international laws dictate that civilians fleeing persecution have a right to seek refuge in a abroad country. Therefore the Governments main priority as a foreign state should be to move resources into building adequate facilities for civilians. In direct relation to this, Turkey should also consider how its participation in the Syrian conflict will turn a profit the Syrian people and at the same time how it will do good the economy and security of Turkey. Public support for Turk eys foreign policy towards Syria is low and the public view of the Governments handling of the conflict is largely negative.While the Government stands for the freedom of Syrian people it unavoidably to seriously re-evaluate its position it is a neighbor country and therefore has no duty to react to the internal political situation in Syria until an international consensus can be reached. Until that point it should focus on strengthening the Turkish border, screening incoming refugees and providing facilities for them. Recommendations The refugee crisis is just one form of the greater humanitarian catastrophe that has resulted from the Syrian uprising.Although Turkeys interests and obligations lie in protect persecuted civilians, it must also consider wider issues regarding the conflict, including the impact of its support for Syrian opposition forces, as well as more pertinent humanitarian issues like the displacement of Syrians within Syria itself. The Government should therefo re continue to lobby the international community to take action in Syria more than this, it should seek assistance from international governments in building refugee camps and providing aid to civilians, in order to accoutrement dwindling resources.