Turkey's Erdogan: U.S. should 'not harbor
a terrorist' like cleric Gulen
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[September 20, 2016]
By Stephen Adler and Parisa Hafezi
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Turkish President
Tayyip Erdogan told Reuters in an interview on Monday that the United
States should "not harbor a terrorist" like U.S.-based cleric Fethullah
Gulen and that his activities should be banned around the world.
Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999,
denies involvement in Turkey's failed coup in July and Washington has
said it will extradite him only if Turkey provides evidence, much to the
Turkish government's frustration.
Erdogan said Washington had "no excuse" for keeping Gulen, a former
Erdogan ally who Turkish officials say has built up a network of
followers over decades inside the armed forces and civil service to take
over Turkey.
"If the U.S. is our strategic ally and our NATO partner ... then they
should not let a terrorist like Gulen run his organization," Erdogan
said, in an interview on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world
leaders at the United Nations.
Erdogan said an initial three months state of emergency, declared in the
wake of the coup, could be extended if necessary.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Sep/20/images/ads/current/Bonanza_sda_072214.png)
Critics say extending the state of emergency will give Erdogan a freer
hand to limit or suspend freedoms, to bypass the parliament as well as
taking swift measures against his opponents.
"It can be extended for three months or one month or even more ...
Gulen's people have infiltrated everywhere ... we will continue to
identify and arrest the plotters ... extending the state of emergency
will help this process," Erdogan said.
Authorities have cracked down on schools, media and businesses run by
Gulen since the July coup. Turkey has sacked or suspended more than
100,000 soldiers, police and civil servants since the failed coup on
suspicion of links to Gulen's network. At least 40,000 have been
detained.
Some of Turkey's Western allies and human rights groups have accused
Erdogan of using the putsch and the purge that has followed to suppress
any opposition.
Turkey has accused the EU of double standards in criticizing the
crackdown while showing hesitation in condemning the coup that killed
about 240 people.
Erdogan said the EU had failed to meet its obligations despite Turkey's
decades-long efforts to join the trading bloc.
"Turkey has kept its promises regarding the EU membership process ... it
is a two-way street and the EU should fulfill its promises ... We have
not concluded this process ... we want the EU to be honest about this
process," he said.
Turkey's ties with the United States also are strained over Washington's
support for the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which it considers a
terrorist group. The YPG has been among the most effective partners on
the ground in the U.S.-led fight against the Islamic State militias.
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![](../images/092016pics/news_s33.jpg)
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses governors during a
meeting in Ankara, Turkey, September 8, 2016. Yasin
Bulbul/Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERS
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SYRIA WITHOUT ASSAD
Turkey is worried that advances by Syrian Kurdish fighters will
embolden Kurdish militants in its southeast, where it has been
fighting an insurgency for three decades led by the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
"Daesh (Islamic State militants) and YPG ... are the main source of
threat," he said.
Turkey launched its first major military incursion into Syria on
early September, saying it was aimed at driving out Islamic State
militants (IS).
The Euphrates Shield operation initially targeted IS militias, but
most of the focus since has been on checking the advance of
U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters.
"We have been patient... We have not deplored all of our troops to
Syria ... with the moderate opposition Jerablus was freed," he said,
adding that Turkey supported plans to drive IS out of its Syrian
stronghold of Raqqa.
"But Turkey will not act unilaterally to liberate Raqqa. We will get
involved in actions taken by the (U.S.-led) coalition forces," he
said.
Erdogan said no lasting peace could be achieved in Syria without
removal of President Bashar al-Assad from power. Turkey is one of
the main supporters of rebels fighting to overthrow Assad, and hosts
around 2.7 million Syrian refugees.
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"The future of Syria should be determined by its own people ... Why
this killer (Assad) is being backed by some states?," Erdogan said.
"Assad cannot be part of any transitional period ... the world
should find a solution that does not involve Assad ... Syria's
territorial integrity should be respected by other countries."
Assad is supported by Russia, Iran and Arab Shi'ite militias, while
Sunni rebels seeking to unseat him are backed by Turkey and Gulf
Arab states.
(Editing by Bill Rigby and Michael Perry)
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