ISLAMABAD/TEHRAN – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iran have a common future, and the security of each country is dependent on the security of the others, but the enemies are creating problems for the four countries.
The Turkish prime minister made the remarks in Islamabad in interview with Hamid Mir, The News reported on Friday.
Erdogan said the United States was supporting some common enemies of Pakistan and Turkey and the time has come to unmask them and act together.
The Turkish prime minister insisted that Pakistan and Turkey must play a decisive role in the efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.
He said that both Pakistan and Turkey had suffered under military dictators who were always supported by the USA, politicians were hanged by military regimes in both countries, and both countries are fighting against terrorism nowadays.
“We have common problems and common solutions, military dictatorships have always created problems, and democracy is a common solution,” Erdogan noted.
Asked why no military dictator has ever been tried in the courts of Turkey and Pakistan, he replied, “I don’t support hanging any military dictator, but law must take its action against all those who abrogated the constitution.”
He also said that some foreign hands are supporting terrorists in Pakistan and Turkey directly and also through some NGOs.
Erdogan was very hard on the “double standards” of the USA and said that the Israeli attack on a Turkish ship of the Freedom Flotilla unmasked the so-called civilized face of Washington, which openly and shamelessly supported the state terrorism of Israel.
“Nine Turkish martyrs on the ship received 21 bullets from Israeli soldiers in their bodies. We provided post mortem reports and even the pictures to the EU and USA, but Washington is not ready to condemn the state terrorism of Israel against Turkey, which means that the USA is supporting international terrorists who killed our citizens in international waters.”
He said that the people of Pakistan should not fight with each other and they must concentrate on helping the 20 million flood victims. “Instability and infighting will only help your enemies, who are looking for an opportunity to use Pakistanis against Pakistanis.”
Turkey has sent “at least 125 million dollars of aid, both by the government and non-governmental organizations,” said UN Special Envoy to Pakistan Rauf Engin Soysal.
“We installed 2,000 prefabricated houses near Multan, and a total of 3,000 will be built,” the head of the Turkish Red Crescent, Omer Taslit, said.
“If you will not understand the evil designs of your enemies, then what will be the future of 20 million flood victims of Pakistan, who will help them if you start fighting with each other,” Erdogan warned.
“Pakistan is my second home, and I am concerned about the internal situation of my second home,” he added.
Asked what his advice would be to Pakistan about diplomatic relations with Israel, since Turkey has diplomatic relations with Israel, Erdogan responded very carefully, saying that “despite diplomatic relations, Israel never behaved like a civilized country with Turkey, and I cannot give any advice to my Pakistani brothers; it is their right to decide about making relations with Israel.”
He went on to say that Pakistan and India must resolve the Kashmir dispute by peaceful talks. “You need strong political will for resolving the Kashmir dispute,” he added.
Erdogan said Israel will “remain isolated” if Tel Aviv refuses to apologize for killing Turkish human rights activists, Press TV reported on Friday.
“Israel must apologize to Turkey and pay compensation. If it does not, it will be doomed to remain isolated in the Middle East,” Erdogan added.
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