Turkish President Abdullah Gul has conceded that Turkey and its closest ally, the United States, hold different views regarding military action against Syria in the aftermath of Damascus’ alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians.

In a first official reaction after U.S. President Barack Obama announced he would first seek congressional approval before a strike against Syria, Gul said Obama’s decision should be interpreted within the political traditions of the U.S.

“As a neighboring country [to Syria] our feelings are surely different. They are far from this region and they have different feelings. Policies should not necessarily overlap all the times,” Gul said.
 

Recalling that every country had its own democratic process in taking such important decisions and that Obama’s move should be seen within the political dynamics of the U.S., Gul said it was obvious that “internal politics forced” Obama to seek congressional approval.