THE MIDDLE EAST IS BOILING Are Turkey and Syria on the brink of war?

• Russia: "Don't look for pretexts for a military intervention in Syria"

• Cornel Codiţă: "Turkey's reaction will not affect the situation in Syria"

• Titus Corlăţean: "In the Syria-Turkey, episode, Romania will act in a solidary manner with the NATO countries"

On Thursday, Turkey decided by itself, through the vote of the Parliament, to intervene in Syria, following the Syrian shelling which took place on Wednesday evening, on Turkish territory. Following a similar incident which happened at the end of last week, on Tuesday, Turkey had called for an emergency meeting of NATO to discuss the situation in Syria, as the government in Ankara wanted similar measures against the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

However, on the same day, Russia, which has constantly opposed an intervention in Syria so far, has asked the Western countries and those in the Middle East "not to look for excuses" for a military intervention in Syria, urging Damascus and Ankara to exercise restraint.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gennadi Gatilov, said in an interview granted to press agency Interfax: "As part of our contacts with our partners at NATO and in the region (...), we have asked them to stop looking for excuses to implement a scenario which would involve force or the launch of initiatives concerning humanitarian lanes or buffer areas".

Speculation around an intervention in Syria have intensified lately, especially due to information that the Syrian government has relocated its chemical weapons to keep them safe.

Last week at the UN, Arab countries, led by Qatar, discussed a potential "Arab" military intervention in Syria.

On Monday, the secretary general of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said that the alliance had no intention to intervene in that country.

Russia, which has been a traditional ally of Damascus, has constantly denounced the Western "interference" and has so far blocked any resolution which paves the way for constraints on the Syrian regime at the UN Security Council, where it has the right to veto as it is a permanent member. Russia has already vetoed three draft resolutions at the UN, together with China.

• Turkey's retaliation

Turkey has decided to retaliate to the Syrian shelling which killed five civilians on its own land and wounded ten others. The operations of the Turkish army, which by the closing of the edition, were confined within the country's borders, were targeted at the positions held by the army loyal to president Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey's reaction is normal, under the current circumstances, but it will not influence the conflict which is taking place in Syria, said military analyst Cornel Codiţă.

"Turkey has reacted just like it was supposed to react in this situation, demonstrating its importance as a regional power. However, its actions do not lead to any uncontrollable consequences, which would influence the conflict in Syria, as proven by the fact that at the emergency reunion of NATO, which was held in Brussels, everyone condemned the violence in Syria and nothing else happened".

Turkey's intervention is not unprecedented, as it has conducted incursions in Iraq in the past, in an attempt to neutralize the members of the Kurdish separatist movement, Cornel Codiţă added.

• Syria apologizes for the shelling

Syrian officials sent their condolences, and, upon the suggestion of their Russian allies, said that the incident was a regrettable one, and it would not occur again.

A resolution of the UN Security Council, summoned by Turkey, was, unsurprisingly, vetoed by Russia. Russian foreign affairs minister, Sergei Lavrov, said that the shelling was an incident which would not happen again.

An emergency meeting of the representatives of NATO member states, which include Turkey as well, was summoned on Wednesday. In a statement, NATO strongly condemned the Syrian attack and urged the Damascus regime to stop its actions which violate the rules of international law and threaten the Southern border of NATO.

Responses from Washington were also favorable to Turkey, but implying any direct involvement in the conflict from the United States, at the present time.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was "angered" by the attacks, whereas the representatives of the Pentagon said that this action was just another example of irresponsibility from the Damascus regime, and one more reason why it should step down.

Romania's position was in line with that of its strategic allies.

Foreign Affairs minister, Titus Corlăţean, yesterday said that Romania would act in concert and in a solidary manner with the other NATO members, when it comes to this tense incident on the border between Turkey and Syria, and he said that Bucharest's attitude is one of "very clear support" of Turkey.

"Obviously, Romania will act in a solidary manner and in line with the actions of the other NATO members and as things unfurl, we hope this tense episode will be overcome, but obviously, we will be cooperating closely with the other allies, and NATO's position is very clear and has already been expressed", said Corlăţean.

On Wednesday night, he said that he has been in constant and direct contact with Romania's NATO ambassador, Sorin Ducaru, and Romania played "an important part in the adoption of the decision of the NATO council", concerning the situation on the border between Turkey and Syria.

"We are a member of NATO, and furthermore, we have a bilateral Strategic Partnership with Turkey", Corlăţean also said. "Our attitude is very clear, to support Turkey and to demand the stopping of any violent action such as this one, which apparently is perpetrated by Syria from within its borders, and originated from the Syrian government forces. These actions are unacceptable and, together with the other member states, we have asked that this kind of actions be discouraged".

Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs MAE "firmly condemns Syria's aggressions against Turkey, of October 3rd, 2012, which endanger the regional and NATO security, representing a grave violation of the norms of international law".

According to a statement by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made yesterday, "in its position of NATO member state and in the spirit of the bilateral Strategic Partnership, Romania expresses its full solidarity with Turkey and the Turkish people, and would like to express its compassion for the victims and their families".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also says that "Romania has supported the adoption of the Statement of the North-Atlantic council of October 3rd, 2012, which requests the immediate termination of any aggressive actions against an ally".

• Criticism from the opposition in Ankara

According to the Turkish press, the motion which was voted behind closed doors, sparked criticism from the Ankaran opposition which voted against it and accused the government of arrogating the prerogative to launch a war against Syria.

In response, Deputy Prime-Minister Beshir Atalay said that this was a deterrent measure and there are no intentions to start a war.

Turkey has taken similar actions intended to ensure its national security in its relation with Iraq as well, as the parliament in Ankara authorized military operations against the separatist movement of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), on the territory of its neighboring state.

Turkish Prime Minister and president of the Party of Justice Development Party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that Turkey must be cautious and act quickly in the case of threats to its national security, such as the current situation.