Two Turkish military attaches working in Greece have fled the country for Italy after the failed military coup attempt, Turkey’s foreign minister said Thursday, while reports said a naval officer based in the USA has also gone missing.
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“Some of them we have not confirmed their whereabouts”, he continued.
Upon arriving in Ankara, Zarif said, “Iran, Russia and Turkey are important players of the region”.
Cavusoglu said a delegation from the U.S. Justice Department would visit Turkey on August 23-24 to discuss the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based cleric accused of leading FETO and the coup plotters.
USA officials told Reuters this week that a Turkish military officer on a US -based assignment for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is also seeking asylum in the United States after being recalled by the government. The U.S. State Department said it does not comment on or handle asylum cases.
Fethullah Gulen wrote in an article published on Friday in the French daily Le Monde that it was incumbent on Turkey to produce evidence of his guilt before his extradition from his home in the United States.
“Let’s fight against the terrorist group together, so that we can clear it out as soon as possible”, said the minister.
Iran was the first country to condemn the failed putsch in Turkey. He strongly denies the claim.
“We stress the importance of Iran’s constructive role in providing a permanent solution in Syria from the beginning”, Cavusoglu said.
The Iranian official also expressed support to Turkey over last month’s failed coup attempt, praising the Turkish people for defying the “overthrow and use of force”. “We will suspend it”, he said.
In a separate report, The Wall Street Journal noted that how Turkey’s allies deal with the missing diplomats could have significant impact on already tense relations with Ankara.
“It is a victory to Turkish people, and we pay much importance to the support of the Nigerian government to Turkish people and the Turkish government struggle of democracy”, he said.
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“We have emphasised from the outset the importance of the constructive role Iran plays for the a permanent solution in Syria”, he added.
