Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday that Turkey had no problems with religious minorities in the country, and that the threatening language of the United States would not benefit anyone.
"Turkey has no problems related to [religious] minorities. The threatening language of the U.S. evangelist, Zionist mentality is unacceptable," Erdoğan told journalists in parliament on Wednesday.
He added: "We will continue on the path we believe in without the slightest concession to our freedom, sovereignty, or judicial independence."
Turkey is not a country that can be easily dispensed with, said the Turkish presidential spokesman on Tuesday.“Everyone should know. It may be the [F-35 fighter jets] or other issues. Turkey is not without alternatives,” said Ibrahim Kalın, responding to U.S. threats to impose sanctions or halt weapons sales to Turkey.“The U.S. using threatening language, using an ongoing legal issue as an excuse is unacceptable,” Kalın told reporters at the presidential complex.“Everyone has to respect the ongoing legal procedure on the Pastor Brunson issue,” Kalın said.Turkish business leader blasts threats by Trump, PenceTurkish-U.S. relations soured after President Donald Trump threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey over American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who was arrested in December 2016 on terrorism-related charges.
His charges include spying for the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Turkey -- and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated coup attempt in Turkey of July 2016.
The U.S. Congress has also tried to halt the sales of F-35 jets, citing the arrests of U.S. citizens in Turkey and Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems.Pointing out that both sides signed contracts for the sale, Ankara has responded that even if the F-35 sale were cancelled, Turkey has other alternatives.Kalın also said that Turkey is not expecting the recent tensions to have a negative effect on the roadmap between the two countries for the northern Syrian city of Manbij, and that they have not.“The Manbij plan continues to be implemented as designed. It has a certain calendar and elements. These are being carried out step by step,” he added.“Our fight against against terror threats originating from Syria will continue with determination.”President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will announce his 100-day action plan on Aug. 3, Kalın announced.He added: “A strategic plan for the 2019-2023 period will be prepared by November.”
Turkey is not without alternatives: Presidential aide
Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Erdoğan said Turkey would not make compromises regarding the independence of the judiciary, and said the remarks of the "evangelist, zionist mentality" in the United States was unacceptable.
On Tuesday, in a joint declaration, Turkey's minority community representatives -- including followers of the Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches -- said that people of different faiths live "freely".
"We as religious representatives and foundation directors of societies of different religions and beliefs, who have been settled in this country for centuries, are free to follow our beliefs and practices,” the declaration read.
He also said his foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, would hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting in Singapore.
A top Turkish business leader on Tuesday blasted recent threats against Turkey made by the U.S. administration.Turkish businesspeople disapprove of the remarks of U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, said Erol Bilecik, chair of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD), while visiting Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım."We can never approve of the remarks of Pence and Trump, especially over social media," Bilecik told reporters.Erdoğan: Turkey will stand its ground faced with US sanctionsHe added that the remarks were "not part of a solution but the issue."Bilecik called on the two countries to make statements "with high diplomacy and aim for a solution."Relations between the countries soured after Trump and Pence threatened on Twitter to impose sanctions on Turkey over American pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism-related charges.Turkey expects 'mutual respect' in ties with US‘Turkish justice will have final say on pastor case’Brunson’s charges include spying for the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Turkey -- and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the group behind the defeated coup attempt of July 2016.
Turkish business leader blasts threats by Trump, Pence