Jul 10, 2015

Crimean Tatars: Dzhemilev Calls on Turkey to Impose Sanctions against Russia over Crimea


Mustafa Dzhemilev, the historic leader of the Crimean Tatars, has called on Turkey to follow the example of the EU countries and impose sanctions against Russia over its illegal occupation of Crimea. Mr Dzhemilev stated that the Tatars understand the sensitiveness of Turkey’s relations with Russia due to their trade and energy cooperation, but has nonetheless urged Turkey to actively take measures to end the annexation of Crimea. He also said that the report by an unofficial Turkish delegation, which visited Crimea in April 2015 to investigate violations of Crimean Tatars' rights, strengthened Turkey's credibility. The report mentioned that Russia had turned the peninsula into a territory of its own arbitrariness, permissiveness and intolerance.

 

Below is an article published by UNIAN:


Ukrainian Member of Parliament from the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko, presidential envoy for Crimean Tatar people's affairs, and Crimean Tatar community leader Mustafa Dzhemilev (Cemilev) has called on Turkey to join the international sanctions introduced against Russia for the illegal occupation of Crimea, according to Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansı, the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko party's press service told UNIAN.

Dzhemilev told the Turkish news agency that the nuclear weapons that had been delivered to Crimea would in the first turn be directed towards Turkey.

The Crimean Tatar leader urged Turkey to more actively fight for the end of the annexation of Crimea.

"We would like Turkey to follow the EU countries' example and join the [anti-Russian] sanctions, but we also understand the situation Ankara is in with its trade and energy interests involving Russia. I've already spoken with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan about Turkey's possible assistance in releasing certain persons in Crimea, including Crimean Tatars. But nothing could be done to protect national and human rights because the Crimean Tatars cannot have a common future with Russia," he said.

Dzhemilev said that the report made by an unofficial Turkish delegation, which visited Crimea with Professor Zafer Üskül as its head to investigate violations of Crimean Tatars' rights, has strengthened Turkey's credibility.

"The Russians who thought that a report by Turkey, which hasn't joined the anti-Russian sanctions, would be in their favor, were appalled. Prior to that, they hadn't let anybody in that region. Russia "had thought" that the Turkish report would safeguard its interests because Ankara hadn't introduced sanctions against it. If the Turkish delegation had got more time, they would have written more. That was a very good report, which has strengthened Turkey's credibility and has brought benefits for the international community," Dzhemilev said.

Dzhemilev said that the Western sanctions against Russia would be effective. "I'm confident that the sanctions play a great role. We had to wait for 10 years after the introduction of sanctions against Russia, which invaded Afghanistan in 1979. It would be a disaster if we have to wait for another 10 years. We hope that everything will end much earlier, in a dynamic pace. I don't think that the issue will be resolved until Russian President Vladimir Putin remains in power. If these are proper sanctions, the Russians will definitely feel their impact," he said.

Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu earlier said that the occupying power in Crimea continued violating human rights, especially those of Crimean Tatars.

An unofficial Turkish delegation visited Crimea on April 27-30. Its report about the situation of Crimean Tatars said that Russia had turned the occupied peninsula into a territory of its own arbitrariness, permissiveness and intolerance.