Date : 07/06/2013
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)
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