ADDS ADDITIONAL REACTIONS
By Busra Akin Dincer, Ayhan Simsek, Magda Panoutsopoulou, Hajer M’tiri, Aamir Latif, Ilker Girit, Hale Turkes, Murat Karadag and, P Prem Kumar
ANKARA (AA) – World leaders Saturday denounced the attempted coup in Turkey.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel roundly condemned the coup attempt.
“On behalf of the German government, I condemn in strongest terms the attempt of some Turkish military units to overthrow the elected government and elected president of the country by using violence,” she said.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for democracy and the rule of law to be respected in Turkey.
“I condemn in the strongest terms all attempts to change the basic democratic order in Turkey by using violence,” he said in a statement.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he had spoken to his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu to underline the United Kingdom’s support for the democratically elected government.
Greek government spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili also voiced support for Turkish democracy and said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras would be in touch with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.
In a tweet, Tsipras said the “government and the people of Greece are following the ongoing situation in Turkey standing for democracy and constitutional order.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Turkey had “witnessed an attempted forced coup against the constitutional and democratic order, which calls for the strongest condemnation of France.”
He said the Turkish population had “shown its maturity and courage by committing to the respect of institutions. They paid the price with many victims, which my thoughts go to.”
In a statement from European Union President Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, the EU said it “fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law. We call for a swift return to Turkey’s constitutional order.”
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev pledged his country’s support for the Turkish state and people, aide Ali Hasanov told the Azerbaijan State News Agency.
Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said he condemned “any form of violence, and support the democratically elected institutions in the Republic of Turkey.” “The stability and peace in Turkey are of primary importance to us and so is respecting human rights,” he added.
Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, hailed the Turkish people’s resolve and commitment to safeguard democracy and oppose the failed military coup.
In a statement, Sharif said the people of Turkey have foiled forces seeking to sow unrest and polarization in the country. He conveyed his best wishes to the Turkish people, president, and prime minister.
The opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf, Jamat e Islami and others also praised the Turkish nation for showing their unwavering support for democracy.
Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said on his Facebook account that the only choice for Turkey was to return to constitutional order and the rule of law.
The office of the Romanian president also issued a statement expressing solidarity with Turkey, and called for a “reestablishment of public order at the earliest.”
On Facebook, Australian Prime Malcolm Michael Turnbull described the coup bid as a cause for “great concern,” and urged “all parties to show calm and restraint” and “to show respect for Turkey’s democratic institutions.”
Malaysia’s premier, Najib Razak, also condemned the attempt “unequivocally” in a statement.
“We stand together in opposing unconstitutional attempts to undermine the people’s will, as expressed through the ballot box,” he said. “Coups in any form must never be tolerated. Democratic process is the foundation of our freedom, security, and prosperity.”
In the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, hundreds of people from throughout the country gathered Saturday to protest the coup attempt.
“The [Turkish] people showed last night who they want to rule Turkey,” Jasmin Imamovic, head of the Bridges of Friendship association in Zenica, told Anadolu Agency.
Amra Babic, mayor of the central Bosnian city of Visoko, said Bosnia was ready to support Turkey at all times.
“Our feelings are very different since we experienced a war. I got many messages of support from our citizens all night,” he said.
