Norwegian MP Bjørnar Moxnes for the left-wing political party Rødt (R) presented a question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs demanding whether he will condemn Turkey’s attacks against Syria and Iraq.

The question was presented on the eve of the NATO meeting to be held in Romania today and tomorrow.

The question reads as follows: “Will the government condemn Turkey's attacks against international law in Syria and Iraq and raise the issue in the UN Security Council, and will the foreign minister during the NATO meeting in Romania on 29 and 30 November demand that Turkey end the war in Syria and Iraq?

Justification

On the night of Saturday 19 November this year, the NATO country Turkey attacked Kurdish areas in Syria and Iraq. 40 people have been killed, including several civilians and a journalist. The authoritarian Erdogan regime's war of aggression is aimed at Kurdish and other democratic groups that drove IS out of large areas of Syria. The invasion, which does not have a mandate from the UN Security Council, is a clear violation of international law; contributes to more ethnic cleansing and strengthens ISIS. Moreover, Turkey has coordinated the invasion with the Iranian regime, which is also attacking the Kurdish population in both Iran and Iraq.

The Storting majority has determined that Norway's participation in the UN Security Council entails a strengthened obligation to promote international peace and security. This commitment is clearly not compatible with remaining silent when NATO's second largest army is used to crush our Kurdish allies who helped defeat IS. Nevertheless, NTB determined on 20 November that Western countries had not reacted to Turkey's attack on Kurdish and Syrian targets in northern Syria.

Norway has a duty to do what we can to stop the Turkish war of aggression before even more civilians are killed and more are affected by ethnic cleansing. Norway can do this by raising the issue in the UN Security Council and at the upcoming meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Romania on 29-30. November. To remain silent when Norway's NATO allies violate the UN Covenant's prohibition against war of aggression undermines both international law and Norway's credibility as a defender of international law.”