Turkey may support US to establish no-fly zone in Syria

Turkey might support the United States to establish a no-fly zone in Syria, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told U.S. media ahead of his visit to the United States on May 16. In an interview with NBC News channel, Erdogan said that if the United States takes a step toward a no-fly zone in Syria, Turkey might say "yes" to it. Erdogan accused Syrian government of using chemical weapons against its citizens, citing as evidence the "remainders of missiles" and injured Syrians brought over the Turkish border for medical treatment. The Turkish minister rejected any suggestion that the Syrian rebels might have used chemical weapons, adding that "We are against whoever holds such weapons." He also denied that Ankara had provided military support to the Syrian opposition. Erdogan said U.S. President Barack Obama's "red line" on chemical weapons use had been crossed long ago, calling on the United States to take stronger steps. As for the Syrian refugees, Erdogan said Turkey had spent nearly 1 billion U.S. dollars on 300,000 Syrian refugees, urging the United States to "assume more responsibilities and take further steps" on this issue.