Turkish Foreign Ministry slams US State Dept comments on southeast
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby's comments regarding the Human Rights Watch report on southeastern Turkey do not reflect reality, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday.
Tanju Bilgiç's remarks came two days after Kirby's press briefing in which he said: "We're obviously aware of the report stating that the Turkish government has not responded to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights – the letter requesting permission for a U.N. team to conduct an investigation in southeastern Turkey to examine potential violations by the security forces during military operations in urban areas."
On July 11, Human Rights Watch accused the government of blocking access for independent probes into alleged abuses against civilians in southeastern Turkey.
Bilgiç said in a written statement that international organizations operating in the field of human rights could "easily" visit Turkey's southeast.
"Having been one of the 116 countries offering an open invitation to the U.N. special procedures since 2001, Turkey cooperates closely with the thematic rapporteurs," Bilgiç said.
Bilgiç said the U.N. Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances in March, the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks in April and Turkish co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in May all paid official visits in the southeastern region.
"Moreover, our invitation with a statement on May 16 to Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, in our country, including the southeast, for a visit is extant," he added.
Bilgiç also said: "Without knowing all of the truths, Kirby's comments that we prevent investigations in the southeast are not compatible with any reality."
The spokesman also said Turkey will continue with its "uninterrupted constructive cooperation" with all the U.N. mechanisms on human rights.
Turkey's southeast has been the scene of significant military operations since December 2015, as the police and military seek to clear the PKK terrorist organization from urban areas.
The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization also by the U.S., and EU, resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.
Since then, nearly 600 security personnel, including troops, police officers and village guards, have been killed as well as more than 5,000 PKK terrorists in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq.
Tanju Bilgiç's remarks came two days after Kirby's press briefing in which he said: "We're obviously aware of the report stating that the Turkish government has not responded to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights – the letter requesting permission for a U.N. team to conduct an investigation in southeastern Turkey to examine potential violations by the security forces during military operations in urban areas."
On July 11, Human Rights Watch accused the government of blocking access for independent probes into alleged abuses against civilians in southeastern Turkey.
Bilgiç said in a written statement that international organizations operating in the field of human rights could "easily" visit Turkey's southeast.
"Having been one of the 116 countries offering an open invitation to the U.N. special procedures since 2001, Turkey cooperates closely with the thematic rapporteurs," Bilgiç said.
Bilgiç said the U.N. Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances in March, the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks in April and Turkish co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in May all paid official visits in the southeastern region.
"Moreover, our invitation with a statement on May 16 to Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, in our country, including the southeast, for a visit is extant," he added.
Bilgiç also said: "Without knowing all of the truths, Kirby's comments that we prevent investigations in the southeast are not compatible with any reality."
The spokesman also said Turkey will continue with its "uninterrupted constructive cooperation" with all the U.N. mechanisms on human rights.
Turkey's southeast has been the scene of significant military operations since December 2015, as the police and military seek to clear the PKK terrorist organization from urban areas.
The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization also by the U.S., and EU, resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.
Since then, nearly 600 security personnel, including troops, police officers and village guards, have been killed as well as more than 5,000 PKK terrorists in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq.
Last Update: July 15, 2016 21:52