Erdoğan Slams US over Sarraf, Gülen; Criticizes Clinton
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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has attended the Judge and Chief Prosecutor Candidates Lottery Ceremony in Beştepe Nation’s Culture and Congress Center in Ankara.
Erdoğan’s statement addressed diverse issues from the investigations in the judiciary to Hillary Clinton, extradition of Fethullah Gülen and arrest of Reza Sarraf.
Some highlights from his speech are as follows:
“No one victimized in FETÖ operations”
Responding to the claims that there were some people victimized in the public sector by the operations into the Gülen Community, Erdoğan stated that there were no victims in the operations and those who were wrongfully deprived of their rights would be granted these rights again.
“ There might be some mistakes and errors here. [...] but one shouldn’t forget this; who will account for my 241 martyrs and 2,194 veterans?” Erdoğan has noted.
“We have a more impartial and independent legal system than you”
With regards to the business person Reza Sarraf being tried in the United States (US), Erdoğan has criticized that Reza Sarraf was being kept in prison without being tried and noted “[...] and your action will be called impartiality and independency [...] sorry but we have a more impartial and independent judicial system than you [referring to US]”.
“As long as you don’t decide, we also will not decide”
As to the extradition of Fethullah Gülen, Erdoğan has said “Whenever they (US) want the terrorists from us, we hand them over but when why do they not do the same? They claim they can’t hand him over without a court decision. Well then, it could be the same here. When you want things from us [...] we will not decide either as long as you don’t. That is how it’s going to be from now on”.
“Clinton’s speech is a political inexperience”
Stating that he found Hillary Clinton’s support for the PYD/YPG (Democratic Union Party/People’s Protection Units), Erdoğan has noted “To be honest, I consider this statement a ‘political inexperience”
On October 10, Hillary Clinton going live on television in presidential debate with Donald Trump had said “I would consider arming the Kurds. Kurds have been our best partners in Syria like they had been in Syria”
“We say ‘bring it on’”
“If we look back, we will see our independence war [...]. Recently on July 15 [coup attempt] we showed the whole world what we could do for our independence, future, democracy and our blessed ones. If they can risk to pay the same prize, voila, then we say ‘bring it on’”. (HK/DG)