Turkey Pledges to Restrict Activities of 'Eastern Turkistan'

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 17, 2002

Turkey Pledges to Restrict Activities of 'Eastern Turkistan'

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said in Ankara Tuesday that his government would step up the restriction of terrorist activities of "Eastern Turkistan" in the country.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said in Ankara Tuesday that his government would step up the restriction of the activities of terrorist "Eastern Turkistan" in the country.

Ecevit made the remark during his talks with visiting Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji at the Prime Ministry in the capital.

Ecevit stressed that the Turkish government would not support the "Eastern Turkistan" terrorist activities and would step up the restriction of their activities in the country.

Turkey and China have had very good cooperation in the fight against terrorism, said the prime minister, adding that his country would continue to strengthen the cooperation with China on that frontline.

On his part, Zhu expressed the Chinese government's appreciation that in recent years the Turkish government had made repeated emphases that Xinjiang is a part of China and that it had taken some concrete measures to restrict the anti-Chinese separatist activities by "Eastern Turkistan" terrorists in Turkey.

Some "Eastern Turkistan" members are still conducting anti-Chinese separatist activities, said Zhu, noting that some who have ever conducted anti-Chinese separatist activities in Afghanistan are seeking new bases, and Turkey is among their targeted areas.

The premier said that China and Turkey, as two important countries in the region, shoulder major responsibilities in fighting international terrorism and that the joint fight against "Eastern Turkistan" forces accords with the two countries' fundamental interests in safeguarding security and stability.

"We hope that China and Turkey will cooperate more closely and work together to prevent the 'Eastern Turkistan' terrorists from damaging Sino-Turkish ties," Zhu added.

True Face of "East Turkistan" Terrorists Exposed

The Information Office of China's State Council released an article January 21 entitled "'East Turkistan' Terrorist Forces Cannot Get Away with Impunity."

The article, about 8,000 Chinese characters, provides sufficient facts on the "East Turkistan" issue and exposes the true colors of the terrorist activities committed by the "East Turkistan" terrorist forces inside and outside China.

The article reiterates the firm stand of the Chinese government against terrorism, calling on all peace-loving people throughout the world to fully recognize the nature of the "East Turkistan" terrorist forces and the serious harm caused by them, and jointly crack down on their terrorist activities.

The article points out that terrorism is a big public hazard in the world today, posing an enormous threat to the peace, security and order of the international society.

It says that over a long period of time, especially since the 1990s, the "East Turkistan" forces inside and outside Chinese territory have planned and organized a series of violent incidents in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China and some other countries, including explosions, assassinations, arsons, poisonings and assaults, with the objective of founding a so-called state of "East Turkistan."

These terrorist incidents have seriously jeopardized the lives and property of people of all ethnic groups as well as social stability in China, and even threatened the security and stability of related countries and regions.

The article says the term "Turks" originally referred to people of an ancient nomadic tribe, which once wondered about the region of the Altay Mountains and the grasslands of north China. Full Coverage

Questions?Comments? Click here

Chinese Premier Meets Turkey's Acting President

Premier Zhu Rongji Arrives in Ankara on Official Visit

Chen Shui-bian Preaches Again "Taiwan Independence" ( 7 Messages)

39 Survivors, 115 Confirmed Dead From Downed Plane in South Korea ( 3 Messages)

China's Economy to Grow Above Six Percent ( 5 Messages)

Ins and Outs of a Young American's Roguery on Bus in China ( 66 Messages)

FM Spokeswoman: US Has Clarified its Stance on Taiwan Issue ( 17 Messages)

Venezuelan Parliament Refuses to Recognize Interim President ( 7 Messages)