President Erdoğan Addresses Representatives of Turkish NGOs in the US
Addressing representatives of Turkish NGOs in the US, President Erdoğan said: “If you think you can end DAESH with the PYD and the YPG, you cannot, because they are also terrorist organizations. Could there be a good terrorist? They are all terrorists and evil.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is in New York to attend the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, attended an event organized by Turkish NGOs in the US. President Erdoğan delivered an address at the event at JW Marriott Hotel.
“WE WANT YOU TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL LIFE ON THE US”
“We expect you not only to live in harmony with the American people but also to go beyond that and actively participate in social and political life on the US,” President Erdoğan said: “It is of vital importance that you make concrete contributions to American politics through a wide network you form in the circles you live and politicians know you at local and national level.”
“OUR NATION SHOWED THEY WOULD NEVER SURRENDER THEIR WILL TO ANYONE”
“On 17-25 December (2013), Turkey dealt with a coup attempt staged by members of the organization (the Fetullah Terrorist Organization) within the judiciary and the Police Force. On the night of July 15, Turkey was faced with a coup attempt staged by a terrorist group within the Turkish Armed Forces disguised in military uniforms,” President Erdoğan said. “The coup plotters thought when people saw the weapons they got hold of, they would hide in their homes, but our glorious nation chased them away. There is no other nation like our nation in the world. I take pride in our nation,” President Erdoğan said, underscoring that our nation showed they would never surrender their will and democracy to anyone.
REQUEST FOR EXTRADITION OF FETO LEADER GULEN
“On that night, the Turkish nation gave a great lesson not only to circles of tutelage in our country but also to anyone who try to accumulate power through violence and guns in the world,” President Erdoğan underscored. “The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its leader living in Pennsylvania are behind the July 15 coup attempt, but we still have not been able to make the American authorities understand this,” the President said and he added: “We have sent 85 boxes of documents so far. They say ‘these documents are not enough for us to extradite him.’ They have asked us to catch 10 terrorists. We have caught 9 of them and extradited them to them. However, they are still harboring this terrorist here, unfortunately. We have made a request that he be extradited or arrested. According to the extradition treaty between us, they should arrest him. They should not allow him to give interviews to media outlets, but they still allow it. This will –sooner or later- damage our relations. Because we are strategic partners. We are together in NATO. We have numerous bilateral ties. We are still waiting for them to take the necessary steps. It is evident that FETO elements in the US will launch an intense smear campaign against our country in the Congress in particular. And they even let a FETO member speak there. If we let an enemy of the US speak in our Parliament, what would the US administration think? I believe they would not be very pleased. They are asking us the reason behind the wide anti-American sentiment in our country. I am sorry but the decision is our nation’s. As long as you harbor such a terrorist in Pennsylvania, if we held a referendum, at least 90% of our people would say ‘Since the US is harboring him there and supporting him, we have less affection for the US.’”
“WOULD YOU LISTEN THE STORY OF THE NIGHT OF THE COUP AGAINST DEMOCRACY FROM A TERRORIST?”
Recalling a FETO member’s address to the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee last week on the July 15 coup attempt, President Erdoğan said: “They lost their political will so bad that they listened to the story of July 15 not from our nation who suffered from it but from those who actually staged the coup attempt.” The President added: “Would you listen the story of the night of the coup against democracy from a terrorist? They did that. This is unacceptable.”
“YOU CANNOT END DAESH WITH THE PYD/YPG”
Regarding Turkey’s operations with coalition forces against terrorist organization DAESH in northern Syria, President Erdoğan said: “One way or another, we will accomplish this. Cooperation between Turkey and the US is crucial. Do you know how many countries there are in the coalition forces? 65 countries. We, the coalition forces consisting of 65 countries, will not be able to deal with DAESH, is that it? Do you know how many members DAESH has in Syria? 10 thousand. Another 10 thousand in Iraq. I have told them again and again: ‘Let us join forces. We will end DAESH. It cannot stay here. It will look for a place to hide.’ I told the same thing here yesterday. However, if you negotiate with another terrorist organization, if you think you can end DAESH with the PYD and the YPG, you cannot, because they are also terrorist organizations. Could there be a good terrorist? They are all terrorists and evil. Al Nusra is also fighting against DAESH but you do not say Al Nusra is good. You say Al Nusra is bad, but you say the PYD and the YPG are good, what is this? Let’s do this ourselves and let’s do it together. 3 days ago, the US airdropped two planes of weapons to these terrorist organizations in Kobani. I asked Mr. Biden yesterday ‘Are you aware of this?’. He said ‘I am not aware of it’. I told him ‘I am aware of it’. The same thing happened before. They airdropped three planes of weapons to Kobani. Half of it ended up in the hands of DAESH and the rest went to the PYD. There is such a tragic picture here.”
“WE EXPECT SINCERITY AND EFFORT FROM THE US ADMINISTRATION”
Underlining that they should join forces with the US and overcome the problems in the region, President Erdoğan wished the upcoming presidential election in the US lead to such a step. The President said: “We expect significant sincerity and efforts from the US administration. We know that they do not pay enough attention to Turkey’s sensitivities because of their internal political dynamics caused by the presidential elections. Although it was like this before, too. They did not pay enough attention. That’s why we should seek ways to be more effective in the eyes of the administration and the public.”
Source: www.tccb.gov.tr
