US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Turkey, saying NATO will be scrutinising Turkey in coming days to ensure that it fulfils the alliance’s requirements.
Kerry said:
“NATO also has a requirement with respect to democracy,” Kerry said. Obviously, a lot of people have been arrested and arrested very quickly.
The level of vigilance and scrutiny is obviously going to be significant in the days ahead. Hopefully we can work in a constructive way that prevents a backsliding.”
A Number 10 spokesperson said:
“The National Security Adviser chaired a COBR meeting of senior officials this morning to discuss the situation in Turkey. Representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the intelligence agencies, the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office and the Department for Transport attended. The ambassador and embassy staff in Ankara also joined by video link.
They noted that the situation in Turkey continued to stabilise, but that we needed to maintain our focus on the situation and monitor any developments over the coming days and weeks, including close cooperation and dialogue with the Turkish government.
British consular staff are working around the clock to support and reassure British nationals in Turkey at the moment, with a particular focus on supporting those waiting for planes in Turkey’s main airports. Flights are starting to get back to normal and backlogs of passengers are beginning to ease.
Officials agreed that we should monitor the situation on the ground closely over the coming days and keep the travel advice to Turkey under review.”
The Turkish military coup failed on Saturday morning as soldiers surrender after many dead and hundreds arrested.
Turkish President Erdogan had made a statement on Turkish television using his iPhone and FaceTime, calling on people to take to the streets to oppose the uprising.
Crowds confronted the coup plotters and gunfire and explosions were heard. The president has now returned to Istanbul, calling the coup attempt an “act of treason” and saying the army must be cleansed. He told crowds the government was now back in control.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim ordered the military to shoot down aircraft being used by coup plotters, with a helicopter being shot down by an F-16.
17 Turkish police officers were killed in a helicopter attack at the police special forces headquarters just outside of Ankara.
Reuters reported that in early hours of Saturday local time, the coup appears to have “crumbled” as crowds defied pro-coup military orders and gathered in major squares of Istanbul and Ankara to oppose the coup. Reuters also reported pro-coup soldiers surrendering to the police in Taksim Square, Istanbul.
Nato not care about… The Turkish army is strong enough
Would NATO really wish to commit forces in support of this regime?
Turkey cannot be ejected from NATO a day too soon.
Truth is NATO needs Turkey. Bridge between west and east. Front line for the fight against ISIS
Turkey would be an asset to NATO, they just need a secular government.
Turkey is a danger to the world
[…] US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Turkey, saying NATO will be scrutinising Turkey in comi… […]
Oh say it’s so.
About time.
Turkey is becoming a dictatorship rapidly. Erdogan must have read Mein Kampf.
Wait, so we instantly opposed the coup because of Erdogan’s unfailing commitment to ‘democracy’; and now we’re ratcheting up the pressure after-the-fact?
I suspect that western diplomats would have been prepared to work with the coup plotters had it been successful “to assist in a return to democracy”. That’s diplomats for you, nothing if not pragmatic.
the west does not understand the people’s wish to go back to their former ower status. IS wants to go back to the once powerful cailiphates, Russia wants to ga back the the once powerfull Sovjet Union, England wants to go back to the once powerfull British Empire, Turkey wants to go back to the powerfull Ottoman Empire, or to the Turan principle: one power for people from Turkish decent.