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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.
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.