Position Paper Example

Ana Regina Pickett
Security Council

Official name: Republic of Turkey
Capital: Ankara
President: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Form of government: Parliamentary Republic Official language: Turkish
Population: 80,845,215
Area: 783,562 sq km
Currency: Turkish lira
GDP: 2.133 trillion dollars
Religions: Sunni Islam (65%), Shia Islam (4%), Unaffiliated
Muslims (13%), Protestant or Evangelical (1%), Other Christians (1%), Irreligion (7%), Spiritual but not religious (6%),
Mahayana Buddhism (1%), Other religions (2%) UN members since: 26 June 1945
Delegate name: Vincent Valerio Swanlund Cruz

History of Turkey:
  Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his leadership, the country adopted radical social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. A coup attempt was made in July 2016 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Official Position:
From the start of the Syrian civil war, Turkey has been one of the main backers of the Syrian opposition. Turkey has fought alongside non-Kurdish factions in the Syrian opposition including the Free Syrian Army (FSA).
Turkey is part of the United States-led coalition. It has also carried out unilateral airstrikes against Kurdish opposition forces in northern Syria and sent ground forces into Syria to fight IS and Kurdish forces. Turkey has been heavily involved in the Geneva talks and has cosponsored the Astana negotiations. It has staunchly opposed Kurdish factions attending peace talks.

Solutions:
Neutralizing terrorists in Syrian territory.

News:
“At least 36 pro-Syrian government troops have been killed by a Turkish air strike in the region of Afrin, a monitoring group says.” (BBC, March 3, 2018).
“Syrian rebel group Jaish al-Islam has agreed to evacuate jihadist fighters being held in its prisons in besieged Eastern Ghouta, a statement says.” (BBC, March 9, 2018).
“Pro-Kurdish protesters have forced the closure of the soutbound carriageway of the Humbert Bridge.” (BBC, March 3, 2018).




Chemical weapons in the Syrian War

     Using chemical weapons during the war in Syria cause severe problems in the world, as well as for the government of Syria, as well as for its citizens and the countries that border it. The United Nations blames Syria for several attacks that have been caused in the same Syrian territory, being clear responses to the rebellion of its citizens.

     The use of chemical weapons can be observed in the context of the Syrian Civil War. On September 2013, a bill was filed to authorize the use of military force against the Syrian military, mainly in response to the use of sarin in the Goutha attack on August 2013. Later that month, the Sergey Lavrov Russian foreign minister announced that Russia had suggested directly to Syria to relinquish its chemical weapons. The Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moalem immediately welcomed the proposal. In September 2013 the Syrian government entered into several international agreements for the destruction of its chemical weapons that stipulated an initial destruction deadline of 30 June 2014, a deadline apparently achieved in respect of declared chemical weapons. Prior to September 2013, the Syrian government had not publicly admitted possessing chemical weapons, although Western intelligence services believed they hold one of the world's largest stockpiles.

     Fully aware of what is happening, Turkey has taken a big part in this conflict. Contemplating that from the start of the Syrian civil war, Turkey has been one of the main backers of the Syrian opposition. Emphasizing that Turkey has fought alongside non-Kurdish factions in the Syrian oppositions including the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Taking into consideration the situation in Syria, Ankara has conducted airstrikes against IS targets as part of the US-led coalition. Fulfilling this, it also has carried out unilateral airstrikes against Kurdish opposition forces in northern Syria and sent ground forces into Syria to fight IS and Kurdish forces as part of the Turkish-led operation known as “Euphrates Shield.” Having considered as part of a “de-confliction zone” agreed to with Russia and Iran, Turkey has also moved into Idlib province alongside rebels it backs. Having received accusations of using chemical weapons in Syrian territory, deeply disturbed about such attribution, the Republic of Turkey denies allegation of chemical attacks in Syria. Declaring that “Turkey has never used chemical weapons in its operations in Syria, and takes the utmost care of civilians,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu solemnly affirmed reporters at the Munich Security Conference.

     We should keep in mind there are two sides in this conflict. Viewing with appreciation there are the ones that support and oppose Bashar al-Ásad. On the Syrian government’s side, we have Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and Shia Muslim militias. On the side of the rebels we have Turkey, Gulf Arab states, United States and Jordan. Referring to the term “rebels” as to describe a huge and diverse array of fighters, some of whom co-operate with jihadists like those from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al- Qaeda-linked alliance. Deeply concerned about Ásad’s tirany, Turkey provides arms, military and political support to rebels in order to liberate themselves. Believing Syria will come to be a peaceful nation again once its president backs out from suppressing citizens.

     Further recalling, the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia and Iran have stressed continuity of their efforts to have a positive impact on the resolution of the Syrian war and decreasing violence. Having examined the situation, the three guarantor countries published a joint statement on March 16, 2018, after the trilateral meeting in the Kazakh capital of Astana, citing a “commitment to territorial integrity and the independence of Syria.” Nothing further, this meeting proves that we want to cooperate to resolve the Syrian crisis. Bearing in mind, there is a need to have different strategies for neutralizing terrorists, referring especially in places with dense civilian concentrations.



References:

Central Intelligence Agency. (2018). Turkey. Retrieved March 14, 2018, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html

JimRenge. (2018). Religion in Turkey (2016). Retrieved March 15, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Turkey

BBC. (March 3, 2018). Syria war: Pro-government soldiers ‘killed in Turkish air strike’. Retrieved March 15, 2018, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east- 43271148?intlink_from_url=http://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c207p54mdq3t/turkey&link_locatio n=live-reporting-story

BBC. (March 3, 2018). Syria war: Jaish al-Islam to evacuate number of Eastern Ghouta fighters. Retrieved March 15, 2018, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east- 43351957?intlink_from_url=http://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c207p54mdq3t/turkey&link_locatio n=live-reporting-story

BBC. (March 3, 2018). Kurdish protesters close Humber Bridge. Retrieved March 15, 2018, from http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber- 43373787?intlink_from_url=http://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c207p54mdq3t/turkey&link_locatio n=live-reporting-story

DW. (December 21, 2017). Syria conflict: What do the US, Russia, Turkey and Iran want? Retrieved March 16, 2018, from http://www.dw.com/en/syria-conflict-what-do-the-us-russia- turkey-and-iran-want/a-41211604

Reuters Staff. (February 18, 2018). Turkey denies allegation of chemical attack in Syria. Retrieved March 16, 2018, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey- afrin/turkey-denies-allegation-of-chemical-attack-in-syria-idUSKCN1G20NB

Daily Sabah. (March 16, 2018). Turkey, Russia, Iran to continue efforts for solution to Syrian crisis. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://www.dailysabah.com/diplomacy/2018/03/17/turkey-russia-iran-to-continue-efforts-for- solution-to-syrian-crisis