Turkish President Abdullah Gül offers Yemen-like exit way for Syria’s troubled leader Bashar al-Assad.

Ankara / NationalTurk – Syria could change with a ‘Yemeni Model’ granting protection to Bashar al-Assad as/if/when he resigns, President Gül stated, but notes the divided opposition.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could be removed from power using a “Yemeni Model” in which he steps aside under guarantees of protection ahead of elections, President Abdullah Gül suggested. The suggestion is likely to avoid al Assad’s fate would not be similar to   Gadaffi’s, who was murdered rather brutally at the very end of Libyan uprising.

Turkish President on Syria and Bashar al-Assad’s fate

In following the lead of ex-Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, however, Syria could be hamstrung by the fractures in the Syrian opposition, Gül announced.

‘ This transformation will no doubt take time,’ he told in an interview, adding that the syrian opposition must create a structure that would be embraced by all segments of society and otherwise.

abdullah Gül also mentioned Russia and Iran would soon realize that they had little choice but to join international diplomatic efforts against the Syrian regime. Russia, along with China, vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning al-Assad’s use of force last month.

‘ We have to wait and see how long Russia will be able to take upon itself the burden of this regime,’ the Turkish President stated.

‘ In my opinion, it won’t be very long. In the time of the Cold War, such things occurred in a very closed environment. However, today developments take place in the open. I think in time Russia will see its support has been abused by the Syrian regime. They will recognize this fact when they see the heavy weapons being put in use against the Syrian people. That is not very tolerable, not even for Russia,’ he added.

Ankara tries to convince Iran government in its role for Syria

Abdullah Gül expressed that Ankara government was talking to Iran, a close ally of Bashar al-Assad, in an effort to persuade it to accept the inevitable and back diplomatic action against the Syrian president. ‘ Even Iran doesn’t have the power to make water run uphill … And if the worse scenario were to come true, it is not possible that Iran could not feel any responsibility for that. It will be responsible.”

He said Russia and Iran should be persuaded by the international community and countries in the region to accept reality and stop the crackdown in Syria.

Syria conflict and dangers for the sectarian Muslim Middle East

Abdullah Gül has warned in the past of the danger of violence in Syria fueling sectarian conflict that could set the entire Muslim Middle East on fire. ‘ It’s a trap in the ever tense region, and similar incidents happened in the Middle Ages in Europe. The Middle East should not repeat these mistakes … We know that the danger is there, but awareness is also not lacking there.’

In Syria, any new administration must find ways of reconciling Sunni Muslims and Christians, as well as the Alawites, who have been the bedrock of al-Assad’s rule, he added.

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