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ISTANBUL: Conditions To Improve Relations With Israel, Armenia Remai

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  • ISTANBUL: Conditions To Improve Relations With Israel, Armenia Remai

    CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL, ARMENIA REMAIN THE SAME: ERDOGAN

    Hurriyet Daily News
    Sept 30 2012
    Turkey


    "We will never reconsider restoring our relations with Israel,"
    until Israel lifts its Gaza blockade, apologizes to Turkey and pays
    compensation for the nine Turkish nationals killed on a Gaza-bound
    vessel by Israeli commandos in May 2010, Erdošan said in his address
    to his ruling Justice and Democracy Party (AKP) congress in Ankara.

    The prime minister also said Turkey will continue to give support to
    the Palestinian cause in order to make them live in peace.

    On Armenia, Erdošan said Turkey's stance will not change, until
    "they give our Azeri brothers' their rights."

    "We will continue to stand by our principals on the issues of Cyprus
    and Nagorno-Karabakh," Erdošan said.

    Erdošan has meanwhile called on Russia and China to reconsider their
    stance on Syria, while also vowing to provide logistical support to
    Syrians and welcome refugees from the country flowing into Turkey,
    during his speech.

    "I call on China and Russia: Please, reconsider your stance. History
    will not forgive those who side with this cruel regime," Erdošan said
    during his party's congress today in Ankara.

    Turkey is currently hosting around 90,000 refugees, he said. "We
    will do what brotherhood necessitates. We will continue to give
    logistical support."

    Call for action against Islamophobia

    Erdošan called on France and Germany to take action against recent
    incidents against the Muslim identity in their countries during
    his address.

    "I call on Germany. We do not accept the attitude against women who
    wear head coverings," said Erdošan. Recent posters publicized by
    the German Interior Ministry advertising a hotline for those worried
    that a friend or family member may be turning to radical Islam did
    not coincide with the freedom of religion, Erdošan said.

    He also called on France to take steps in "the cartoon crisis,"
    referring to cartoons mocking Prophet Muhammad that were recently
    published by a French magazine.

    Erdošan also vowed to continue his efforts to make Islamophobia a
    recognized hate crime in Turkey and the international arena.

    "Islamophobia is a hate crime. Insults to [Islam's] Prophet Muhammad
    cannot be tolerated under the name of freedom of speech. This is not
    freedom of speech, this is a disrespect to freedoms," said Erdošan.

    "We are now taking steps in domestic and international grounds. Our
    foreign minister is holding discussions [on the issue] with world
    leaders," said Erdošan, recalling his previous call for a ban on
    attacks on religious and sacred values. Erdošan also said it is
    unacceptable that the West hasn't recognized Islamophobia as a crime
    against humanity, although it has recognized anti-semitism as a crime
    against humanity.

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