AKCAKALE, Turkey – Turkey's parliament Thursday authorized military action against Syria but insisted it was not a mandate for war following deadly cross-border fire that sent tensions soaring. The vote came as Turkish artillery hit targets inside Syria in retaliation for the shelling that killed five Turkish nationals. Turkey said Syria apologized and vowed the incident would not happen again. UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged “maximum restraint.” Western powers, as well as Syria allies China and Iran, issued similar appeals. Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said the UN chief was “alarmed by escalating tensions” and warned that the risk of the 18-month-long Syrian conflict embroiling the entire region was growing. Russia, meanwhile, blocked the adoption of a draft statement condemning the deadly Syrian mortar attack on the Turkish town and proposed a weaker text that would call for “restraint” on the border without referring to breaches of international law. Western diplomats complained that Russia's proposals, if accepted, would weaken the statement to an unacceptable degree. In Ankara, the Turkish parliament met behind closed doors in an emergency session and agreed to the government's request to authorize military operations inside Syrian territory. The year-long mandate received 320 votes in the 550-seat parliament. “Our soil has been the target of aggressive actions by the Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces since Sept. 20, and they continued despite our numerous warnings and diplomatic initiatives,” the cabinet motion stated. “A need has emerged to take necessary measures and to act in haste and in time in the face of additional risks and threats that may be directed against our country,” it added. Security sources said that Turkish shelling continued sporadically throughout the night until 0600 GMT Thursday. But the shelling could resume if needed, a Turkish official warned. “Turkish shells are not continuous. They are fired and will be fired when necessary,” he said. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay told reporters that the parliament's decision was “not a war mandate”, adding however that it would have a deterrent effect. “Turkey has no interest in a war with Syria. But Turkey is capable of protecting its borders and will retaliate when necessary,” Ibrahim Kalin, chief advisor to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said earlier on Twitter. Turkey had demanded that the UN Security Council take action against Damascus over Wednesday's fire, which drew sharp Western condemnation. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington was “outraged” at the Syrian shelling, while France said it constituted “a serious threat to global security and peace.” British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the incident was “completely unacceptable not only for Turkey but for the international community as a whole”. Amid the rising tensions, calls for calm poured in. The European Union condemned Syria but urged restraint on all sides, while Germany called for a “de-escalation”, “a measured handling of this worsening situation.” – Agencies
