ANKARA: Turkey rebuffs US resolution condemning Washington incident

Daily Sabah, Turkey
June 8 2017


Turkey rebuffs US resolution condemning Washington incident

DAILY SABAH
ISTANBUL


Turkey has rebuffed a U.S. House of Representatives resolution that
condemned the Washington incident, and accused legislators of steps
that "distort and politicize" matters. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
Hüseyin Müftüoğlu in a statement said yesterday that the resolution
was "against the spirit of alliance and partnership" between Turkey
and the U.S.

"The U.S. House of Representatives last night put on its agenda and
passed an undue resolution that was previously voted by the House
Foreign Affairs Committee. The steps taken by the U.S. legislative
branches to distort and politicize the matter are not constructive,"
the statement said.House Republicans and Democrats unanimously
approved a measure Tuesday that underscored their fury over Washington
incidents during President Erdoğan's meeting with U.S. President
Donald Trump in May.

The incident took place when a group of PKK supporters and some
protesters carrying Armenian flags started shouting slogans against
Turkey and President Erdoğan at the Lafayette Square Park, just north
of the White House.

Later, when Erdoğan arrived at the embassy building, protesters
continued the insults, shouted slogans and threw water bottles
prompting some Turkish citizens and the head of the president's
security detail to step in.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier cited the U.S.
authorities' failure to take precautions as the main reason behind the
incident.