ID :
163945
Fri, 02/25/2011 - 10:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/163945
The shortlink copeid
Turkish premier says latest developments have no link to "Great Middle East Project"
ANKARA (A.A) - 25.02.2011 - Turkey's prime minister said on Thursday that latest developments in the Middle East had no connection with the "Great Middle East Project".
Replying to questions at a TV program on private ATV channel, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the latest incidents in the region were not homogenous or connected moves, but they stemmed from various problems that had been going on for years.
Erdogan said that Libya was a particularly important country for Turkey as nearly 30,000 Turks, most of whom were architects, engineers and laborers that worked at 200 construction sites, lived there.
Noting that Turkey had initiated a historic evacuation process in Libya, Erdogan said 7,352 Turkish nationals had been evacuated from the country so far, adding that such figure would rise up to 9,000 with the citizens to be brought by the latest private and military planes that had departed for Libya.
Erdogan also said that Turkey had not cut down its communication with Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi during such process.
"I personally held talks with Gaddafi 3 times. We are also carrying on with our communication with the country's opposition," he said.
Erdogan noted that he would not define the situation in Egypt and Libya similar, as the problem in Libya was rather a matter of solidarity or struggle between tribes.
"We need to conduct this process in a balanced way. Our policy cannot be based on political relations only, it should be assessed according to humanitarian ties. Because, our humanitarian relations will continue once these incidents are over," he said.
The prime minister also said that Turkey had no intention to intervene in the domestic affairs of any country in the Middle East.
"What we are doing has a humanitarian aspect only. It derives from our historical ties with these countries and their nations," he said.
Replying to questions at a TV program on private ATV channel, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the latest incidents in the region were not homogenous or connected moves, but they stemmed from various problems that had been going on for years.
Erdogan said that Libya was a particularly important country for Turkey as nearly 30,000 Turks, most of whom were architects, engineers and laborers that worked at 200 construction sites, lived there.
Noting that Turkey had initiated a historic evacuation process in Libya, Erdogan said 7,352 Turkish nationals had been evacuated from the country so far, adding that such figure would rise up to 9,000 with the citizens to be brought by the latest private and military planes that had departed for Libya.
Erdogan also said that Turkey had not cut down its communication with Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi during such process.
"I personally held talks with Gaddafi 3 times. We are also carrying on with our communication with the country's opposition," he said.
Erdogan noted that he would not define the situation in Egypt and Libya similar, as the problem in Libya was rather a matter of solidarity or struggle between tribes.
"We need to conduct this process in a balanced way. Our policy cannot be based on political relations only, it should be assessed according to humanitarian ties. Because, our humanitarian relations will continue once these incidents are over," he said.
The prime minister also said that Turkey had no intention to intervene in the domestic affairs of any country in the Middle East.
"What we are doing has a humanitarian aspect only. It derives from our historical ties with these countries and their nations," he said.
