SAKARYA

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Arab nations in the Middle East were striving to reclaim their dignity.

"They may be slowed down, obstacles may be put in their way, but once a people has risen by tearing down the wall of fear and stands up for its dignity, it is impossible to contain it indefinitely within the old norms," Davutoglu said.

"The magical word for the struggle that our Arab brothers are putting forth in various countries is not bread or food, it is dignity."

"This struggle to stand up belongs to those people whose dignity has been shattered, both in the face of Israel and of the dictators. We salute this struggle."

During his speech, Davutoglu made the Rabaa sign in a show of support for anti-coup demonstrators in Egypt. The sign has now been used throughout Turkey and the Middle East at large by politicians, intellectuals, artists, and athletes.

- ‘Zero problems’

Regarding the chemical weapons attack in Syria, Davutoglu said Turkey's position had to do with a historical responsibility.

"We all saw those pictures (of the attack). Our hearts cannot take it. Not as human beings, nor as Muslims or people of this region," Davutoglu said.

"In spite of that, some people have the audacity to say to us, 'why are you still interested in there (Syria)?'

“Should we allow ourselves to go down in history in a contemptible image?"

"If we did not support the Syrian people today, some of our children or grandchildren would have to apologize to them in the future."

Turkish Foreign Minister suggested that his country's main foreign policy principle, dubbed "zero problems with neighbors," was misunderstood.

"What we meant by 'zero problems with neighbors' was zero problems with the peoples, not with the dictators."

"We opposed Assad not because he was Nusayri, but because he was cruel. And we opposed (Egypt's chief of staff) al-Sisi not because he was Sunni, but because he staged a military coup."

englishnews@aa.com.tr