Separately, Defence Secretary Ash Carter said his counterpart, Defence Minister Fikri Isik, assured him in a phone call on Tuesday that the coup and its aftermath would not affect Turkey’s support for the fight against the Islamic State group.
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“We are calling for the maintenance of the consensus and national unity of the Turkish society following the coup attempt”, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Had I stayed 10 or 15 additional minutes there, I would have been killed or I would have been taken”.
They have clashed on how to combat Islamist extremists and over actions by Erdogan’s government seen in the USA capital as authoritarian.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Turkey has the right to prosecute those involved in the coup but, concerned about human rights and democracy in a key North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally, cautioned it against going too far.
Turkish authorities have blamed Gulen, a one-time Erdogan ally, of being behind the attempt to topple Turkey’s government and called on the USA to arrest and extradite him.
US extraditing Pennsylvania-based preacher, Fetullah Gulen, to Turkey over his alleged involvement in Friday’s deadly coup attempt would be the “greatest sign of solidarity”, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Tuesday, Anadolu Agency reported.
May also said there was no room for coups in democracies and congratulated Erdogan and the Turkish public on their bravery in their efforts to thwart the attempt.
Turkey’s state-run news agency says courts have ordered 85 generals and admirals jailed pending trial over their roles in the failed coup attempt.
“These people are not human”, she said of the coup-plotters.
At stake is Turkey’s long-held hope to become part of the European Union, and Mogherini made clear that if Turkey imposed the death penalty it would be a deal breaker.
In July 2015, Ankara – something of an ambiguous ally for Washington – authorized the US-led coalition to use the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey for air operations against IS fighters in Iraq and Syria.
‘We stand squarely on the side of the elected leadership in Turkey. But no one has the right to exploit our good will, and we will continue to support democracy and everyone should do the same.
Turkish security forces are still searching for some of the soldiers involved in the coup bid in various cities and rural areas but there is no risk of a renewed bid to seize power, a senior security official told Reuters. But State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Ankara would need to provide “evidence” against Gulen. According to pro-government Turkish media, the base was searched.
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Erdogan has accused Gulen of being behind the coup and said on Monday that his government will formally request the cleric’s extradition within days. The cleric’s movement, which espouses moderation and multi-faith harmony, says it is a scapegoat. They will never be able to split us up.
