The Obama administration would entertain an extradition request for the U.S. -based cleric that Turkey’s president is blaming for a failed coup attempt, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday.
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Kerry noted that scores of people had been arrested “very quickly” throughout the country and that the level of vigilance and scrutiny would be significant in the days ahead.
Senior EU officials believe they do have leverage on Erdogan as they appeal to him to respect the views of the half of the country which did not back him but also did not back the coup.
“In democracies, decisions are made based on what the people say”.
“We also urge the government of Turkey to uphold the highest standards of respect for the nation’s democratic institutions and the rule of law”.
“We are the ones saying today rule of law has to be protected in the country, there is no excuse for any steps that take the country away from that”, Mogherini said as European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels.
Finally, both ministers discussed Turkey’s importance as both a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally and a key member of the coalition to defeat Da’esh, and stressed the need to stay focused on ensuring operational support to those efforts continue unabated, Kirby said. On Saturday he had challenged President Barack Obama directly to turn over Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic preacher who lives in exile in rural Pennsylvania, saying Turkey’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally needs to do what is necessary “if we are truly strategic partners”.
“I think the most important is that we now get a process of healing in Turkey”, said Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders. “They haven’t done that yet”, he said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press”.
“Obviously, the courts will consider evidence and reach their verdicts”, he said. We’re not blocking it. Kerry said he disagreed with those that say TTIP will not proceed.
After a breakfast in Brussels with US Secretary of State John Kerry, the ministers condemned the weekend coup attempt in a common European Union statement, but expressed alarm at Erdogan’s public comments on Sunday that there could be no delay in using capital punishment. The country is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member whose cooperation in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State is crucial to Washington. He tied the attacks in the West, including one last week in the French city of Nice, to the success in taking back territory from the militants in Syria and Iraq. “The US Department of State warns US citizens of increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey and to avoid travel to southeastern Turkey”, a statement read.
Friday’s attempted coup has changed what was supposed to be a meeting of the EU Council into crisis management.
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CCTV America’s Jack Parrock is in Brussels with more on the major meeting. Kerry also laid a white rose and a State Department commemorative coin at each of the graves of two brothers from MA who are buried side by side.
