Turkey to reconsider relations with U.S. if Fethullah Gulen not extradited

PanARMENIAN.Net - Ankara may review its relations with Washington if the United States does not extradite Turkish opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, who was blamed to be linked to a coup attempt in Turkey, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Monday, July 18, according to Sputnik.

Late on Friday, Turkish authorities said that an attempted coup took place in the country. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials have blamed Gulen who is in a self-imposed exile in the United States and his supporters for the coup attempt, calling on U.S. President Barack Obama to extradite the cleric.

"I am telling the U.S. leadership – there is a global threat here, an attempt to oust the lawful government, directions to destroy the will of the people in the country, there are no religion or cultural values here. What other proof do they need? If, despite this, they continue demanding evidence, then I am sorry but we’ll be very disappointed and the need to reconsider our relations may be high on the agenda," Yildirim told a government session.

Earlier in the day, U.S. State Secretary John Kerry said that the United States had not received any formal request to extradite Gulen.