Turkey condemns 'double standard' of the West in Syria and Khashoggi murder

The foreign minister of Turkey said on Monday that some Western countries try to ‘cover up’ the murder of the well-known journalist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi.

"We see how those, who speak of freedom of press in the world, cover this thing up when they see money," Mevlut Cavusoglu told youth conference attendees in Istanbul.

Khashoggi was a well-known columnist at the Washington Post, killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2 last year.

The Saudi government admitted that Saudi intelligence agents killed him after several weeks of denial, and the CIA has ‘concluded’ that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directly ordered his murder.

Double standards in Khashoggi killing

The foreign minister explained Turkey’s strategy to bring the killing of Khashoggi to light, but expressed his discomfort about the silence of several Western political leaders and diplomats over the tragic crime.

"Now we have made preparations for an international probe in the coming days. We will take the necessary steps," he added.

Previously, Turkey’s Justice Ministry has sought the extradition of the Saudi citizens who have committed the killing - however Saudi officials rejected the extradition request.

For more than two months, Turkish authorities appealed to the international community to solve the case and bring those involved to justice. However, the appeal received a limited reaction.

US President Donald Trump stated: “We may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

His apparent desire to gloss over the killing for the sake of profit, caused widespread international criticism.

Despite this, the US president makes the Saudi regime pay for its own interests when it comes to dumping oil prices, rebuilding Syria and a $350 billion arms trade deal for the next 10 years, of which $110 billion will be for immediate purchase.

Cavusoglu continued his speech by shifting the focus to Turkey’s initiatives in Syria. 

“We continue our quest for lasting peace in our neighbour,” he said, adding that there are ‘hippocratic’ stances by several Western countries.

"As a NATO ally, Turkey rightly asks the US to prioritise Turkey’s vital security concerns over the US’s short-term tactical policy goals,” the foreign minister added in criticism of US support for the YPG, Syrian branch of the PKK, an internationally recognised terrorist organisation.

“Terrorists who target Turkey today, can target others in future,” he warned.

A critical scenario for Syria

The speaker for Turkey’s governing AK Party, Omer Celik, has been outspoken regarding the coming years for Syria.

“Policies that will lead to a second Afghanistan in the Mediterranean should be avoided,” he told a news conference.

The former EU minister warned Western countries supporting terrorist groups in Syria that they could “fall into the same trap” they did in Afghanistan since 2001.

According to the AK Party spokesperson, instead of collaborating with groups involved in terrorist activities and with the goal of diminishing the political unity of Syria, Western political leaders should focus on their alliance with Turkey.

Otherwise, they will contribute to a new unstable region where terrorist and extremist affiliations can flourish and find a sanctuary for decades.

“If you send truckloads of weapons to the YPG ... embrace them like a legitimate power and ... say that this terror group ‘is our ally which we work within the field' to the Turkish Republic ... then you create another Afghanistan with your own hand and money," said Celik.

He concluded that Turkey would not allow what he called a ‘prime threat’ coming from the east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria.

"Turkey has the capacity to fight Daesh and to take over security,” added Celik.