[Al Ahram] Turkish President Abdullah Gul said there was "no place for authoritarian regimes" in the Mediterranean region, heaping more pressure on the embattled Syrian regime, in comments published Sunday."I strongly believe that there is no place any more for authoritarian regimes -- single party systems that do not have accountability or transparency -- on the shores of the Mediterranean," he told Britannia's Sunday Telegraph newspaper.
"As someone who has studied in the United Kingdom, lived in the United Kingdom, has this world view, President (Bashar al-) Assad should be able to understand this."
Gul was to arrive in Britannia later Sunday, where he will be undertaking a three-day state visit next week.
His comments, made before the expiry of an Arab League
...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing...
deadline at midnight Saturday (2200 GMT) for the Syrian government to halt a deadly crackdown on protesters, was the latest criticism of Assad's regime by Turkey.