President Recep Tayyip Erdogan heads to Russia this week as part of efforts to rebuild ties shattered by Turkey’s downing of a Russian warplane a year ago – just as Turkey’s relations with traditional allies the United States and Europe show increasing strain amid Ankara’s crackdown following a failed coup.
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Although organized by the ruling party, leaders and supporters of the opposition MHP and CHP parties also attended, to give voice to an unprecedented unity that has come about in the face of the failed takeover attempt.
Meanwhile, during the coup, over 300 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured.
Turkish president added that the European Union left Turkey alone with its problems.
The message of leaders’ and other speakers’ speeches were clear – thanking the Turkish population of standing up for the concept of democracy.
Turkey’s economy minister says the country is ready to resume work on building a gas pipeline from Russian Federation, a project that was suspended amid tensions between the two countries.
Ankara’s downing of a Russian war plane over the Syrian border last November prompted rapid retaliation from Moscow and a bitter war of words between presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan from which there appeared no going back.
Turkish Consul General Erdal Sabri Ergen has said that outfit, which attempted to overthrow President Tayyip Erdogan’s government, has deep roots in Mumbai and some other parts of the country.
The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, has denied any involvement in the failed coup attempt.
He likened the coup plotters to “terrorists wearing military uniforms”. On Sunday he pledged that if parliament approved the reintroduction death penalty he would enthusiastically sign it into law.
He said: “Sovereignty stays unconditionally with the nation. If it comes to my approval I hereby express that I will approve it”.
European Union leaders have previously stated that if Turkey were to reintroduce the death penalty, it would effectively end the country’s application to join the bloc.
However Erdogan seemed unfazed: “In Europe they say there is no death penalty but there is the death penalty in America, Japan, China and most of the world”. Tens of thousands of people have been suspended or dismissed from jobs in the judiciary, media, education, health care, military and local government.
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The visit comes as Turkey’s relations with traditional allies falter over Ankara’s post-coup crackdown, which has seen almost 18,000 people detained or arrested and tens of thousands suspended or fired from their jobs on suspicion of being associated with the movement of US -based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.
