Turkey to launch new international initiative on Syria

Turkey will launch a "new initiative" with like-minded countries after the rejection of a U.N. resolution aimed at ending months-long bloodshed in neighboring Syria, its prime minister said on Tuesday. "We will start a new initiative with those countries who stand by the Syrian people, not the regime," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in parliament, without elaborating. "We are working on this initiative," Erdogan said, assuring that his government would utilize all diplomatic means to draw the world's attention to the Syrian crisis. Russia and China, permanent members of the Security Council, on Saturday blocked the U.N. resolution denouncing Syria for its deadly crackdown on protests. The move drew condemnation from other global powers as well as Turkey. For his part, the Turkish premier said the Security Council vote gave the "license to kill to the hands of the tyrant," referring to his one-time friend Syrian President Bashar Assad. Erdogan said the veto power should be used responsibly without "giving green light to death." "The Syrian matter cannot be sacrificed to power struggle," he added. Turkey, once a close ally of Syria, has been at the forefront of international criticism against the Damascus regime and has also become a haven for many Syrian opposition activists. "We cannot remain silent to what is happening in Syria and we cannot turn our back on the Syrian people," Erdogan said. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is planning to fly to the United States on Wednesday and meet with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for further discussions on Syria, diplomatic sources told Agence France Presse. Ankara - Naharnet