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VUCIC AND DODIK DIFFER ON ERDOGAN'S STATEMENT
Politics | July 14, 2014 | 15:11
BELGRADE -- Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar VuÄ~MiÄ~G says he "wants
to believe" his Turkish counterpart did not make a controversial
statement as reported over the weekend.
(Beta)
According to some media outlets in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said that anyone who "touches" Bosniaks would have "100
million Turks up against them."
Bosnia is made up of the Serb Republic (RS) and the Muslim
(Bosniak)-Croat Federation (FBiH) entities, and leader of the Serb
entity Milorad Dodik arrived in Belgrade on Monday for "urgent
consultations" with VuÄ~MiÄ~G and Foreign Minister Ivica DaÄ~MiÄ~G.
They addressed a news conference together, and unlike VuÄ~MiÄ~G,
Dodik said he believed that Erdogan said "precisely" what was reported.
"Dodik has a right to his conclusions, and we to ours. I want to
believe Turkish Ambassador in Belgrade Kemal Bozay who told me the
statement was not made, but I have no right to negate or dismiss
Dodik's concerns," VuÄ~MiÄ~G said.
The prime minister then noted that "not all Turkish embassies in the
region provided the same answer" when it came to Erdogan's reported
remark, and also that "if he believed the statement was made, Serbia's
response would have been much stronger."
VuÄ~MiÄ~G also urged Ankara to bear in mind "the fragile stability"
in the region.
But Dodik stressed he was "certain" Erdogan made the statement,
noting that "if he is able to ban Twitter, he's able to remove his
statement from some media."
"Turkey's intentions are dangerous to us because their policy
is turning out to be one of taking sides and protecting only the
interests of Bosniaks. I believe that the statement was made, in
that manner. Turkey is a powerful country and can manipulate with,
'it was, and was not made'," Dodik was quoted as saying.
He stressed that the RS expected Erdogan's cabinet to issue a denial,
"or at least that the (Turkish) foreign minister would do that"
rather than the Turkish embassy in Sarajevo, "which twisted facts on
previous occasions."
Ivica DaÄ~MiÄ~G also addressed reporters to say that "Serbia does not
know for certain" if Erdogan make the statement, and added that he
"still expected international factors to react."
DaÄ~MiÄ~G noted that such a statement would be "absolutely contrary to
what Turkish officials are saying about wanting to be a constructive
factor in the Balkans, and have good relations with Serbia" -
something reiterated during his recent visit to Belgrade by Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2014&mm=07&dd=14&nav_id=90973
Politics | July 14, 2014 | 15:11
BELGRADE -- Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar VuÄ~MiÄ~G says he "wants
to believe" his Turkish counterpart did not make a controversial
statement as reported over the weekend.
(Beta)
According to some media outlets in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said that anyone who "touches" Bosniaks would have "100
million Turks up against them."
Bosnia is made up of the Serb Republic (RS) and the Muslim
(Bosniak)-Croat Federation (FBiH) entities, and leader of the Serb
entity Milorad Dodik arrived in Belgrade on Monday for "urgent
consultations" with VuÄ~MiÄ~G and Foreign Minister Ivica DaÄ~MiÄ~G.
They addressed a news conference together, and unlike VuÄ~MiÄ~G,
Dodik said he believed that Erdogan said "precisely" what was reported.
"Dodik has a right to his conclusions, and we to ours. I want to
believe Turkish Ambassador in Belgrade Kemal Bozay who told me the
statement was not made, but I have no right to negate or dismiss
Dodik's concerns," VuÄ~MiÄ~G said.
The prime minister then noted that "not all Turkish embassies in the
region provided the same answer" when it came to Erdogan's reported
remark, and also that "if he believed the statement was made, Serbia's
response would have been much stronger."
VuÄ~MiÄ~G also urged Ankara to bear in mind "the fragile stability"
in the region.
But Dodik stressed he was "certain" Erdogan made the statement,
noting that "if he is able to ban Twitter, he's able to remove his
statement from some media."
"Turkey's intentions are dangerous to us because their policy
is turning out to be one of taking sides and protecting only the
interests of Bosniaks. I believe that the statement was made, in
that manner. Turkey is a powerful country and can manipulate with,
'it was, and was not made'," Dodik was quoted as saying.
He stressed that the RS expected Erdogan's cabinet to issue a denial,
"or at least that the (Turkish) foreign minister would do that"
rather than the Turkish embassy in Sarajevo, "which twisted facts on
previous occasions."
Ivica DaÄ~MiÄ~G also addressed reporters to say that "Serbia does not
know for certain" if Erdogan make the statement, and added that he
"still expected international factors to react."
DaÄ~MiÄ~G noted that such a statement would be "absolutely contrary to
what Turkish officials are saying about wanting to be a constructive
factor in the Balkans, and have good relations with Serbia" -
something reiterated during his recent visit to Belgrade by Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2014&mm=07&dd=14&nav_id=90973