Turkey seeks to extend mandate for cross-border operations

A mandate for cross-border operations is scheduled to be discussed in the General Assembly of the Turkish Parliament. The presidential motion which authorizes sending troops to Syria and Iraq is requested to be extended for another two years.

The motion will be discussed after the speeches of the deputies in the General Assembly of the parliament. The motion submitted with the signature of the presidency is requested to be extended.  

The mandate for military action is justified by an alleged increase in risks and threats against national security. The justification of the motion cites Iraq’s territorial integrity, national unity and stability. “On the other hand, the continued existence of PKK and ISIS elements in Iraq and ethnic separatism pose a direct threat to regional peace, stability and the security of our country.”

CROSS BORDER OPERATION IS CONSIDERED LEGITIMATE

The motion claims that stability was restored in the regions Turkey entered, and “…measures are taken in line with our legitimate national security interests in order to maintain stability. There are risks and threats concerning our activities to establish stability and security in Idlib within the framework of the Astana process.”

The motion refers to Article 92 of the Turkish Constitution and the United Nations’ (UN) resolutions on ISIS as the reason to extend the military mandate.

INTERNATIONAL LAW

The motion says that it is important to take necessary measures in line with the international law, saying,“To effectively protect Turkey’s interests against unilateral separatist attempts that have no legitimacy on Turkey’s southern borders and to pursue a fast and dynamic policy in order not to encounter a difficult situation in the future, the Turkish army will be tasked to conduct cross-border operations and interventions to foreign countries if necessary. The number and duration of the troops will be decided by the president.”

Furthermore, another mandate was submitted to the parliament to extend Turkey’s military presence in Lebanon for another year.

The Iraq, Syria and Lebanon mandates are expected to be discussed at the General Assembly this week.