WATCH: U. S. Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim shake hands after a joint news conference in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016.
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Even as Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Ankara to promise American cooperation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared the USA has “no excuse” to refuse Fethullah Gulen’s extradition, and his Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, was issuing veiled threats about anti-American sentiment growing in Turkey if Gulen is not handed over.
Interestingly, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said on Tuesday that the extradition request already filed for Gulen by Turkey is notdirectly related to the July 15 coup but was related to other charges from Turkish authorities, which Toner did not specify.
Biden was stressing “that there is a well-established process that is outlined in the extradition treaty between the United States and Turkey and in the USA law that governs how these kinds of requests are resolved”, Earnest said.
“We have no, no, no, no interest whatsoever in protecting anyone who has done harm to an ally”.
The Turkish government has been accused of using the coup to curtail dissent. “None. But we need to meet the legal standard requirement under our law”. We did not get on so well with your previous military states.
He also expressed astonishment at speculation inside Turkey that the United States wanted to protect Gulen. “So what motive could we possibly have?” he added.
Biden told the news conference he understood Turkey’s anger at the USA delay in handling the extradition request, but said a US court must consider whether there are legitimate legal grounds to arrest him and turn him over to Turkish authorities based on the extradition treaty between the two countries.
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member Turkey is a nominal part of the anti-IS coalition, but regards the YPG as part of the same “terrorist” movement as the PKK Kurdish separatist group waging a guerrilla war within its borders.
Syrian rebels from the Free Syrian Army were also taking part in the operation and reportedly advanced into the border town of Jarablus.
“Turkey is moving into what I would call a more Middle Eastern modus operandi”, he said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu said on August 24 that Syrian Kurdish fighters must return to the eastern side of the Euphrates River or Turkish military forces would “do what is necessary”.
As Turkish troops ostensibly hunting Islamic State (IS) group fighters shelled a US-backed Kurdish militia inside Syria, analysts warned that Ankara’s alliance with the West is at stake.
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He said USA use of the Incirlik air base in southeastern Turkey “remains the lynchpin” for carrying out air strikes against Islamic State fighters.
