Posted on 03/17/2014 5:05:39 AM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Turkey will release an official statement later March 17 to declare that Ankara will not recognize a March 16 referendum in Crimea in which 97 percent of voters reportedly opted to join Russia.
After an election campaign rally in İzmir last night, Erdoğan held a surprising meeting with Mustafa Cemil Kırımlıoğlu, a Ukrainian member of Parliament and former speaker of the Crimean Tatar National Assembly. Stressing that Turkey would not unilaterally intervene in the crisis in Ukraine, Erdoğan told Kırımlıoğlu that he spoke about the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying Ankara would stand by and do everything to protect Crimean Tatars.
“With the Western world, Turkey wants the territorial integrity of Ukraine to be preserved. If NATO makes a decision on this matter, Turkey will certainly abide by it,” Erdoğan said.
Kırımlıoğlu, meanwhile, confirmed that most Crimean Tatars had boycotted the vote in accordance with the decision of the Crimean Tatar Assembly, stating that Ankara’s support had boosted the ethnic minority’s morale.
What about the Tatars?
Frankly, I’ve given up on guessing what Turkey might do.
What were the choices on the ballot?
A. Join Russia
B. Die
Gee, who is surprised a muzzie country makes this choice?
Just remember who is in charge in Turkey. The government supports the Muslim Brotherhood and al Qaida.
Close. No room for 'Nyet' in Ukraine's Crimea vote to join Russia
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