Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu attended the session entitled “Humanitarian Crisis in Syria” which was held in 23 January 2014 within the framework of World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2014.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu pointed out that “the most fortunate” Syrian civilians are the ones who sought refuge in neighbouring countries and stated that at least, these people are being protected from attacks and are being provided with food.

Stating that Turkey so far has spent 2.5 billion dollars for the 700 thousand Syrians it hosts and that Turkey will do more if necessary, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu pointed out that within Syria more than 7 million internally displaced people are under the threat of starvation and attack and international aid cannot be delivered to those Syrians who are in the most difficult situation.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu asked everyone to look at the pictures which prove the systematic torture and starvation caused the massacre of 11 thousand people and said that these images reflect the “medieval mindset”

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu emphasized that the UN Security Council should adopt a binding resolution aiming to end this starvation strategy and to allow the access of humanitarian aid convoys and aid organizations. Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said “Otherwise, the well intentioned efforts of the UN aid agencies, the Red Crescent and the Red Cross and neighboring countries as Turkey will not be able to help much due to the magnitude of this tragedy.”

Pointing out that there is a need for a global awareness campaign and pressure exerted on decision makers so that the humanitarian tragedy in Syria can echo in the UN Security Council, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu underlined that on a humanitarian issue, nobody can put forward the excuse that “Syria is in confusion, we don’t want to get involved”.

Stressing that it is the regime not the opposition who prevents the access of humanitarian assistance to every corner of Syria, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said “People who support the regime hide behind the principle of sovereignty of state. While the humanity is dying out, they talk about sovereignty of state. States are for humanity, not the other way round. The regime will slaughter all Syrians and still the state will be more important than people. If no one has been left alive, who needs the state?”

Sharing information about the services, particularly on education and health provided to Syrians in the accommodation centers in Turkey, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stated that he is not worried about Syrian people living in these centers. He described the situation of the Syrians who are doomed to starve to death in “encompassed” regions in Syria as “almost Holocaust”.

Speaking at the session, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Antonio Guterres and UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mrs. Valerie Amos thanking Turkey for its efforts pointed out that the international community can do more on humanitarian assistance and supported Foreign Minister Davutoğlu’s call to the UN Security Council to adopt a binding resolution.