Turkey's National Security Council discusses domestic security & developments in Syria

ANKARA (A.A) - The National Security Council discussed Thursday the security measures to be taken prior to the upcoming general elections in Turkey and the latest developments in Syria.
National Security Council convened at the Presidential Residence in Ankara under the chairmanship of President Abdullah Gul.
In a statement released after the gathering, the Council said that terrorist organization PKK's efforts to prevent Turkish people from displaying their democratic choices freely would fail thanks to the measures to be taken by security forces and the common sense of the nation.
The Council said fight against terrorism would continue in the upcoming period, adding that respect to democracy and human rights would be the core element of the Turkish state's approach to matter, as always.
Pointing to the developments in Syria, the Council said Turkey was deeply sad and concerned about the rising tension and casualties in this country.
The statement noted that Security Council had assessed the reforms to be implemented in Syria in an effort to meet the legitimate political, social and economic demands of Syrian people.
The Council said Turkey would support all the steps to be taken by Syrian authorities to that end, moreover, it called on Syrian security forces to act with utmost sensitivity while handling the situation in the country.
The Council declared that necessary steps should be taken rapidly and in a determined way in order to establish peace and stability in Syria, to put an end to the violence in the country, and to maintain security of lives, basic rights and freedoms.
The National Security Council also expressed the importance of the peaceful completion of the ongoing transformation processes in the Middle East and North Africa; implied Turkey's support to Iraq to help this country overcome its current problems; and revealed Turkey's decision to continue humanitarian aid to Libya, the statement added.