By Meltem Bulur and Tevfik Durul
ANKARA (AA) – Turkey on Tuesday repeated its extradition request for three Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) members from Cambodia.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at a joint news conference with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, said: “We have repeated our extradition request to Cambodia on the issue of three high profile FETO members. ”
“This terror group is a threat not only for Turkey, but every country it operates in. ”
Turkey's top diplomat said FETO “infiltrates in state institutions by using charter schools as cover-up, then tries to control the politics in that country “.
Cavusoglu said he talked about the operations of FETO terror group with his Cambodian counterpart and said Turkey is ready to take over FETO-controlled schools with Turkey's Maarif Foundation.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
Cavusoglu also stressed on the need to strengthen bilateral relations between Turkey and Cambodia, saying that the third meeting of the Joint Economic Comission (JEC) will be held in the coming days.
Sokhonn said his country is “in a close cooperation with Turkey ” over FETO.
“As a friend of Turkey, Cambodia will continue to support Turkey in its operations against FETO, ” he said.
Sokhonn added that Prime Minister Hun Sen will visit Turkey at the end of October.
He said the opening of Turkey's embassy in Phnom Penh in 2013 “activated ” the relations.
“Cambodia will also open an embassy in Ankara next year, ” he said.
