CNNTurk has just put up a Breaking News headline stating that Turkey is going to establish a buffer zone on the Syrian border.
No other news is available yet so this may turn out to be untrue, but CNNTurk is usually a reliable source of news and very careful about its Breaking News stories.
I will add news if and when it is available.
4:25 p.m. - Milliyet has now also put up a Breaking News headline stating the Turkish government has decided to establish a buffer zone on the Syrian border.
5:10 p.m. -No details yet except that the buffer would be established so that Turkey would be prepared for any sudden developments and to prevent any which might occur in the border areas.
I think the buffer could be established:
To get smuggling under control. Smuggling, especially of goats, across the border is becoming a problem.
To prevent any members of the PKK who might be in Syria from coming to Turkey. PKK terror attacks have been on the increase recently.
To be prepared if a large number of Syrians want to cross into Turkey as almost a million Iranians did in and after 1979 and more than 400,000 Iraqis did in 1991.
Because there have been persistent rumors that the Syrian resistance is being supplied through Turkey. A buffer zone could be used to stop this and as a response to these allegations.
5:12 p.m. – Reports that the UN General Secretary has called the Turkish FM in order to get information about the buffer zone.
6:10 p.m. - Sources in the Turkish Foreign Ministry have, according to reports, just denied that any decision has been made to establish a buffer zone.
9:20 p.m. – At about 6:30 this evening the Turkish Minister of Defense made a statement in which he said the Turkish government does not want to establish a buffer zone along the Syrian border. He added that the government wants to continue and complete the removal of landmines along the border as planned.