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ANKARA: Erdogan Strongly Condemns Terrorism During Latin America Tou

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  • ANKARA: Erdogan Strongly Condemns Terrorism During Latin America Tou

    ERDOGAN STRONGLY CONDEMNS TERRORISM DURING LATIN AMERICA TOUR

    Cihan News Agency (CNA), Turkey
    February 11, 2015 Wednesday

    Ä°STANBUL (CÄ°HAN)- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that
    Turkey -- a country that has experienced terrorist activity for
    decades -- is against all forms of terrorism and assured that Turkey
    has no intention of expanding its territory or interfering with other
    countries' internal affairs.

    Erdogan, who is on a tour of Latin America along with a delegation
    of Turkish businessmen and ministers, was in Bogotá on Tuesday.

    At a symposium called "1915: The longest year of the Ottoman Empire"
    co-organized by Bogotá Externado University and Ankara University,
    Erdogan talked about a number of foreign policy issues.

    Erdogan said that when the word "terrorism" is mentioned, people
    around the world first think about the Middle East, but other parts
    of the world also suffer from terrorism.

    "As long as Israeli oppression and Israeli terror continue, the
    bleeding in the Middle East and the entire human conscience will never
    stop," said Erdogan. He said Turkey's approach is humane when it comes
    to the issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and conflicts in
    Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Libya. Erdogan stressed that it is not possible
    for Turkey to support former military leader and current Egyptian
    President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who came to power after a coup.

    He dismissed international criticism of Turkey's foreign policy and
    said that this criticism is unjust and unethical.

    "Turkey has no interest in other countries' territories and no
    intention of interfering with countries' internal affairs. Turkey,
    as a country that paid a heavy price as a result of terrorism,
    is against all forms of terrorism and all terror organizations,"
    said Erdogan. He added that Turkey wants peace in the region.

    Erdogan also criticized Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan for
    declining his invitation to the centennial commemorations of the
    Battle of Canakkale this year on April 23-24. "Once again they are
    rejecting our peace offer," said Erdogan.

    Armenia will be commemorating the 100th year of what it calls the
    "Armenian genocide" at the end of World War l, during the days of
    the Ottoman Empire. Traditionally Armenians commemorate the events
    of 1915 every year on April 24. Turkey traditionally commemorates the
    Battle of Canakkale on March 18. In an open letter to Erdogan, Sarksyan
    rejected the president's invitation last month. The Armenian diaspora
    sees Turkey's invitation as a "short-sighted attempt" to overshadow
    the 100th anniversary ceremonies of the events of 1915 in Armenia.

    Turkey has invited more than 100 countries to the Canakkale
    commemoration ceremonies.

    Erdogan met with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon on
    Tuesday and held a joint press conference after their meeting. Erdogan
    announced in the meeting that Turkey and Colombia signed seven
    agreements on military, political, economic, commercial, educational
    and cultural issues.

    Turkey and Colombia signed the Turkey-Colombia Cooperation Framework
    Agreement, a plan for cultural cooperation, as well as a memorandum
    of agreement in the tourism sector and a memorandum of understanding
    on agriculture.

    Erdogan called on Colombian construction companies to invest in
    Turkey. He also said that the Turkish Cooperation and Development
    Agency (TÄ°KA) will soon open an office in Colombia to work on
    education, culture and other issues.

    After completing his Colombia visit, President Erdogan arrived in
    Havana late Tuesday.

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