Turkey hails Council of Europe solidarity post-July 15

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hailed Thursday the solidarity of Council of Europe with Turkey in the aftermath of July 15 coup bid.

"Council of Europe stood with Turkish people, Turkey's elected President, government and Turkish democracy," Cavusoglu said during a joint news conference in the capital, Ankara after his meeting with the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe, Pedro Agramunt.

"Council of Europe has always shared its thoughts and constructive criticism in a sincere way," the minister said, adding: "The organization showed once again that they are the cradle of democracy with their attitude towards the failed coup."

Agramunt said the Council of Europe was "proud to have Turkey as a member state".

"It was a very fruitful meeting with my friend Cavusoglu," Agramunt said. "Of course, we will cooperate in the future with all the possibilities."

"I think it will be very good for both parts," he added.

Following the news conference, Cavusoglu had a closed-door meeting with the EU commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also received Agramunt. The two had a 40-minute closed-door meeting at the Presidential Complex.

Turkey's government has said the defeated coup, which left 240 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, was organized by followers of Fetullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his FETO terrorist network.

Gulen is accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.