“I strongly condemn yesterday’s shelling by Syrian forces of the Turkish border town of Akçakale, which killed five and injured many more civilians. I am in contact with the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to express our solidarity and our condolences to the families of the victims and to the Turkish people.

Yesterday’s incident illustrates clearly the tragic spill-over effects of the Syrian crisis in neighbouring countries. I once again urge the Syrian authorities to put an immediate end to the violence and fully respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all neighbouring countries; such violations of Turkey’s sovereignty cannot be tolerated.

I call for restraint from all sides and will continue to follow the situation extremely closely.”

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/132709.pdf (original version 04.10.2012)