ISTANBUL - "If the Turkish troops deployed in Lebanon get required to disarm Hezbollah, the Turkish government will withdraw all forces there," said Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Premier, today.
Erdogan talked to press corps after a seminar on "Management of Migration to Istanbul" in Istanbul on Saturday.
Reminded by a journalist that the United Nations Resolution no. 1701 foresees disarming Hezbollah and that his (Erdogan's) address to the nation contradicted the U.N. resolution, Erdogan stressed that "for once and all, everyone on Tuesday will see that no document carries words making it mandatory for the Turkish Armed Forces to disarm Hezbollah. I want to make it clear that, if Turkish troops receive a request to disarm Hezbollah, we will withdraw all of our troops back to Turkey."