TURKEY: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan says people of Libya should determine their own future and urges Gaddafi to step down

Record ID: 217465

  • Title: TURKEY: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan says people of Libya should determine their own future and urges Gaddafi to step down
  • Date: 4th May 2011
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (MAY 3, 2011) (REUTERS) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN WALKING TO PODIUM VARIOUS OF NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN SAYING: "One cannot establish future, liberty, stability, peace and justice on blood. Therefore we wish Libyan leader immediately pulls out from Libya an
  • Embargoed: 19th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Reuters ID: LVA1CLD5PPCMTH2YV4K23F88YRQZ
  • Story Text: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan renewed an appeal for Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down and cede power on Tuesday (May 3).
    Erdogan's comments came a day after Turkey began evacuating staff from its embassy in Tripoli following attacks by angry crowds on several European embassies in the Libyan capital.
    "One cannot establish future, liberty, stability, peace and justice on blood. Therefore we wish Libyan leader immediately pulls out from Libya and steps down for himself and for the future of the country," Erdogan said in his strongest remarks to Gaddafi.
    "The people of Libya should determine their future in solidarity and unity, it is a priority for us. Hence, we will stay in touch with National Transitional Council to ensure that the elements in our road map can be carried out," Erdogan added.
    Turkey unveiled a roadmap last month to end the war in Libya which include a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Muammar Gaddafi's forces from some cities and establishment of safe humanitarian corridors.
    Two months ago, Erdogan suggested Gaddafi hand over power to an elected leader or authority. Those efforts came to nothing when Gaddafi responded defiantly to a U.N. resolution saying he should be investigated by the International Criminal Court.
    Turkey, the main Muslim member of the NATO alliance, is enjoying growing influence in the Middle East.
    Besides having sizeable commercial and trading interests, Turkey has strong historical ties with Libya, which was part of the Ottoman Empire before World War One.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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