Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Crimean Tatars who live in Ukraine, should know that they are not alone in this situation, the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, the Turkish Sabah newspaper wrote on March 5.
The issue of security of the Crimean Tatars is in the center of close attention of Ankara, he said.
Ankara fears ethnic clashes in the Crimea, according to the Turkish FM.
Davutoglu further added that, the situation in Crimea will also be discussed his meeting with his Russian counterpart in Rome on March 6.
It was reported earlier that the Turkish FM held a meeting with representatives of the Crimean Tatars Association in Ankara.
"We are the first to hasten to help Crimea where there are relics left by our ancestors," he said, pointing to the importance of preserving the unity and integrity of Ukraine, as well as equality of citizens in that country.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan instructed that the necessary measures are taken in connection with events taking place in the Crimea, according to Davutoglu.
As a result of protests in Ukraine, the country's President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted on Feb. 22. The Verkhovna Rada (parliament) has approved the new composition of the parliament and is preparing to hold pre-term elections.
On Feb. 26 several thousand people participating in two rallies gathered in front of Supreme Council of Crimea. After the escalation of the protest actions in Crimea, the Federation Council supported President Vladimir Putin's appeal regarding the use of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine pending "the normalization of the socio-political situation in that country".
Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and the U.S., as well as chairman of the European Council and the chairman of the European Commission made a joint statement condemning Russia's position on Ukraine and canceled the preparations for the G8 summit in Sochi, scheduled for June 2014.
Translated by S.I.
Edited by C.N.