Erdoğan: We Won't Send Syrians Back

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President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Turkey's "determination in supporting and hosting Syrian refugees" will continue, despite calls to send them back.

"Turkey is a country that gives the biggest support to the least developed countries and refugees in the world," Erdoğan said in his speech at the International Ombudsman Conference in Istanbul.

"The main opposition in our country says, 'We will send them back to their home country,'" Erdoğan remarked, saying that they cannot send back the people who ran from "barrel bombs," referring to Syrian government offensives.

The President has been saying for months that Turkey could repatriate up to three million Syrians if a "safe zone" in the country's northern parts is established. He also called on the EU countries to provide support for refugees otherwise Turkey will "open the doors" for them to cross into Europe.

Turkey currently hosts some 3.6 million Syrian refugees and has so far spent 40 billion dollars for them, according to official figures.

Erdoğan said Turkey makes a "conscious" effort to make the lives of civilians in Syria better, unlike other countries that pursue their personal interests in the region.

"While there are many states that do not hesitate to link arms with terrorist organizations for oil or political interest, we maintain our honorable stance on this issue. Nevertheless, we cannot avoid slander such as the so-called Armenian genocide.

"What is even more tragicomic is that we are threatened with sanctions because of the legitimate steps we have taken to ensure our own security. History records all of this. Turkey today is assessing future generations will place the place they deserve hope the others. " (DB/VK)