US, Turkey plan for worst-case scenarios in Syria
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Turkey's foreign minister said Saturday that their countries are creating a formal structure to plan for worst-case scenarios in Syria, including a possible chemical weapons attack on regime opponents.
Clinton and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said their two nations would set up a working group to respond to the crisis in Syria as conditions there deteriorate. They said the group will coordinate military, intelligence and political responses to the potential fallout in the case of a chemical attack, which would result in medical emergencies and a likely rise in the number of refugees fleeing Syria.
Clinton said the group was needed in order to explore the "real details" of potential new crises. She said it was now time for "very intensive operational planning."
"We have been closely coordinating over the course of this conflict, but now we need to get into the real details of such operational planning. It needs to be across both of our governments," Clinton said.
She said the U.S. State Department and Turkey's Foreign Ministry have already been working together on the issue but that the new working group would increase the involvement of the intelligence services and militaries of both countries.
Among the contingencies that the U.S. and Turkey agree on the need to plan for is "the horrible event that chemical weapons (are) used," Clinton said.
More News
- Demonstrators flood Brazilian streets in protest
- Lawyer for Gadhafi son wants him handed to ICC
- Intel chief: NSA foiled dozens of terrorist plots
- US, Taliban to start talks on ending Afghan war
- G-8 summit turns focus to clampdown on tax-dodging
- Syrian warplanes strike rebel posts in Aleppo
- Greece's public TV still off despite court ruling
- Turkey Could Deploy Army To Quell Protests
- US-bound Egypt plane diverted after threat
- Moderate Rohani wins Iran presidential election
