Turkish FM spoke to 34 counterparts since coup attempt

ANKARA (AA) – Since the defeat of Friday’s failed coup, Turkey’s foreign minister has carried out intensive telephone diplomacy with dozens of top diplomats from around the world, including his counterparts, as well as leaders from powerful international blocs and organizations.

Diplomatic sources said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has spoken with 34 of his counterparts, including Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev and Jordan’s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, who he talked with on Sunday night.

Cavusoglu also received telephone calls from the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, the U.S. secretary of state, and the foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, France, Greece, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Palestine, Azerbaijan, Canada, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Morocco, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Libya, Lebanon, Hungary, Macedonia, Malta, Rwanda, Jordan, Yemen, New Zealand, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Turkey’s top diplomat also spoke to the heads of NATO, the Council of Europe, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

All the senior officials told Cavusoglu that they support Turkish democracy, its elected government, and its institutions. They expressed their solidarity with Turkey and restated that coup attempts are unacceptable.

For his part, Cavusoglu thanked the officials for standing with the Turkish people and government.

Sources said Cavusoglu would continue to conduct intensive telephone diplomacy.

Friday night, rogue military elements attempted to overthrow Turkey’s democratically elected government through force. Before the would-be coup’s defeat, around 160 people were martyred in the ensuing violence.

Some 2,839 military personnel involved in the coup attempt have been arrested, and 20 pro-coup soldiers, including some senior officers, were killed in the attempt to overthrow the government.

U.S.-based expatriate cleric Fetullah Gulen is the number one suspect in investigations of Friday’s failed coup, judicial sources told Anadolu Agency on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media.