Welsh MPs speak out as UK welcomes Erdogan
WELSH politicians are among those alarmed by the imminent visit of Turkey’s President to the UK at a time when there is high concern about human rights abuses in the country.
Labour’s Ann Clwyd is at the forefront of opposition to the visit which is due to begin tomorrow.
Ms Clwyd, a former Special Envoy on Human Rights in Iraq, said the visit was both “totally inappropriate” and “insensitive”.
She said: “Friends of mine have already fled Turkey for fear of being imprisoned... Some of them are in Wales.”
Presidential elections are due to take place next month in Turkey and Ms Clwyd said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was coming to the UK in a bid to “boost his standing” at home.
Together with Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards, she has tabled an early day motion calling on the UK Government to raise concerns about free elections and human rights “as a matter of urgency”.
Tens of thousands of people have been dismissed from public positions or arrested in the wake of the July 2016 coup attempt and there is intense concern about the treatment of Kurds both within Turkey and on the Syrian side of the border.
Labour’s Ms Clwyd fears that while a state of emergency still exists in Turkey it may not be possible to hold credible free elections.
Describing the message she would give the President if she had the opportunity, she said: “I’d call on him to lift the state of emergency, to allow all people who want to stand for election to be able to stand under the same conditions of candidates of his own party [and] ask him to restore democracy to Turkey.”
Arguing the visit should not take place at a time when he is preparing for the presidential elections, she said: “It’s obviously an attempt boost his standing there... I think it’s unfortunate we should be complicit in that...
“It’s really inappropriate that we should be receiving him.”
Plaid Cymru foreign affairs spokesman Jonathan Edwards pressed for an “immediate ban on arms sales to Turkey”.
He said: “The Turkish state is guilty of despicable attacks on innocent Kurdish people and they must be condemned by the UK Government. Hundreds of civilians have died including family members of Welsh citizens, as a result of unprovoked Turkish assaults against Kurdish communities.
“President Erdogan has arrested journalists, politicians and activists for speaking out against the attacks, but is now enjoying a visit to England as an apparent Nato ally.”
Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International, urged the PM to grasp the opportunity to promote human rights.
She said: “This visit is an opportunity for Theresa May to show the President that human rights and a thriving civil society in Turkey are a priority for the UK. Under the cloak of a state of emergency, the Turkish authorities have deliberately set about dismantling civil society, locking up human rights defenders, shutting down organisations and creating a suffocating climate of fear”
“Turkey must lift the current state of emergency and other such draconian measures before there is no independent, critical civil society left. This should include the release of human rights defenders, including our Amnesty colleague Taner Kılıç, who has been held for almost a year without a shred of evidence.”
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said: “Turkey is a key Nato ally of ours and historically the links between us have been very good. That’s obviously taken us forward...
“But on human rights it’s important that all governments are respectful of the conventions and treaties they’ve signed up to.”
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: “We can confirm that President Erdogan has been invited to visit the UK next week. Turkey is a close ally and friend of the UK and we have a range of shared interests including regional security, counter terrorism, and bilateral trade and investment.
“President Erdogan’s visit will further strengthen our close partnership with Turkey and help to keep the UK safer and more prosperous.”
Former Foreign Minister Lord Mark Malloch Brown said: “President Erdogan’s tea with the Queen is the cost of Brexit. We have lost too many friends and put such a premium on new trade partnerships that we can’t be choosy anymore about our friends.
“It’s anybody who will have us.”