Crimean Tatars: Turkey Underlines Crimea’s Illegal Occupation and Oppression of Tatar Community
In a meeting with Ukrainian Premier Petro Poroshenko, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan underlined how the Crimean Peninsula was illegally annexed by Russia and stressed his desire for the welfare of the Crimean Tatar community. The Ukrainian Presidential press service stated that Turkey has not changed its position on Ukraine’s territorial integrity and would continue to support the Crimean Tatars in every possible way.
The article below is published by Radio Free Europe
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reassured his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko that Ankara will continue to recognize the Crimean Peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia, as Ukrainian territory.
The Ukrainian presidential press service said on 20 August 2016 that Erdogan told Poroshenko via telephone that Turkey has not changed its "unwavering position regarding its support of Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity in the country's internationally recognized borders." Erdogan added that Ankara would not recognize "Crimea's occupation" and would continue to support "the Crimean Tatars in every possible way."
The Poroshenko-Erdogan conversation comes less than two weeks after an Erdogan visit to Russia restored Ankara's relations with the Kremlin that had reached a low point following last year's shooting down of a Russian warplane by Turkish fighter jets. The two leaders also discussed bilateral energy-sector cooperation and the recent terrorist bomb attacks in eastern Turkey.
Photo Courtesy of Radio Free Europe
