Mr Gul said the violence in Turkey’s southern neighbour, where a revolt against President Bashar Al Assad has evolved into a civil war that threatens to draw in regional powers, could not go on indefinitely and that Mr Assad’s fall was inevitable.
“The worst-case scenarios are taking place right now in Syria … Our government is in constant consultation with the Turkish military. Whatever is needed is being done immediately as you see and it will continue to be done,” Mr Gul said.
“There will be a change, a transition sooner or later … It is a must for the international community to take effective action before Syria turns into a bigger wreck and further blood is shed, that is our main wish.”
Turkey’s armed forces have bolstered their presence along the 900km border with Syria in recent days and have been responding in kind to gunfire and shelling spilling across from the south, where Mr Assad’s forces have been battling rebels who control swathes of territory.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said the escalation of the conflict along the Turkey-Syria border, as well as the impact of the crisis on Lebanon, were “extremely dangerous”.
“The situation in Syria has dramatically worsened. It is posing serious risks to the stability of Syria’s neighbours and the entire region,” he said in France.
Mr Ban said UN and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi would be heading back to the region this week.
The exchanges with Turkey mark the most serious cross-border violence in Syria’s revolt against Mr Assad, which began in March last year with peaceful protests for reform and has evolved into a civil war with sectarian overtones. REUTERS