ISTANBUL, June 7 (KUNA) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday attacked foreign media for covering protests in several Turkish cities over a famous park development plan from an ideological perspective.
Speaking at a Turkish-EU relation forum here, Erdogan emphasized that foreign media covering ongoing events in the country should set aside their ideological orientations and views.
He said his government cannot object to calls for more democracy and freedom, but it is opposed to violence, referring to protests opposing plans to rebuild Taksim Square in central Istanbul, which is the epicenter of anti-government rallies and near the park.
Erdogan cautioned against attempts by some groups to mislead public opinion over demonstrations protesting the square development blueprint, saying that such events should not lead to a misconception over the government's position on protests and the way it handled them.
In this context, he said much misleading was exercised and some mass media launched a heinous onslaught of fabrications and lies.
The Turkish prime minister, further, accused some prejudiced organizations and groups of trying to capitalize on protests in order to attain suspicious goals and interests, saying that he had proofs and document proving his accusations.
He said he was ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of those who go to squares for democracy, but it should be well-known that prejudiced groups tried to take the opportunity of such events to achieve their respective interests.
He noted that his government had presented the park development project ahead of the 2011 parliamentary election.
The protests in Turkey began when police cracked down last Friday at the park on protesters opposed to plans to build a replica Ottoman army barracks. At the weekend, it transformed into anti-government protests that drew tens of thousands of people nationwide.
Earlier on Thursday, the Turkish prime minister insisted on going with the project, saying "we will go through with this project which respects history, culture and environment".
He accused some of the protesters demonstrating in Istanbul's Taksim Square of being part of a "terrorist organization". He also said several foreigners implicated in the violence had been arrested.
"Among the protesters, there are extremists, some of them implicated in terrorism," Erdogan said. (end) ta.mm.mt KUNA 072142 Jun 13NNNN