Erdogan calls for UN reform to tackle Syria crisis

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Saturday for reform of the UN Security Council to allow progress to resolve the Syria crisis. "If we must wait for one or two permanent members, then Syria's fate is really in great danger," Erdogan told a conference in Istanbul. Russia and China, two of the five permanent Security Council members, have so far blocked three draft resolutions backed by Western and Arab countries which they say unduly interfere in Syrian affairs. "It's time to change the structure of international institutions, starting with the UN Security Council," Erdogan said. He called for "wider, fairer and more effective representation". "By failing to implement an effective policy towards events in Syria, the Security Council is rapidly losing its legitimacy in the eyes of the oppressed elsewhere in the world," he argued. Reform of the council should take into account the growing strength of countries including Turkey, Brazil, India and Indonesia, he said. "The West is no longer the only centre of the world." Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had separate talks with Arab League chief Nabil El-Arabi on the Syria crisis and the latest developments on the border between the two countries, Anatolia news agency said. With rebel fighters in control of large swathes of Syria's border area, there have been a series of incidents of cross-border fire this month. They have sparked retaliatory shelling by NATO member Turkey and heightened UN concern about the potential for escalation. Davutoglu and Arabi also discussed the Syrian opposition, which Ankara supports, and the interception Wednesday by Turkish fighter aircraft of a Syrian passenger jet which Erdogan said carried an illegal consignment of munitions and Russian military equipment. On Saturday Turkey's leaders also met international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle. After his meeting with Westerwelle, Davutoglu repeated Turkey's position that they would not tolerate any further border incidents. "Fresh border violations can take place and we will hit back without hesitation if we believe Turkey's national security is in danger," he told reporters. Westerwelle reiterated Germany's support for its NATO ally Turkey while at the same time appealing for restraint. "We are on Turkey's side but we also call on Turkey to show moderation," he said. Westerwelle also backed Turkey in the row over its interception of the plane from Moscow. Turkish authorities said they had confiscated radar equipment, provoking angry responses from both Moscow and Damascus. "It was morally justified for the Turks to do that," said Westerwelle, adding that Germany would have done the same thing. During his visit to Istanbul, Westerwelle had talks with the leader of the main Syrian opposition alliance the Syrian National Council, Abdel Basset Sayda. Turkish diplomats said that Brahimi, who has been tasked by the Arab League and United Nations with finding a solution to the Syria crisis, would discuss all aspects of the 19-month conflict with Davutoglu and Turkish President Abdullah Gul. Separately, Erdogan met Tunisia's Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem and the leader of one of Libya's largest political parties, the National Forces Alliance.