Turkey briefs India on Muslim cleric's role in coup attempt

New Delhi, Aug 19: After Turkey requested India to take action against oganisations and educatiol institutions in India which are affiliated to Fethullah Gulen, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday briefed Exterl Affairs Minister Sushma on the role of the Muslim cleric’s organisation in last month’s coup attempt in his country. “There were discussions on the terrorist attacks in Turkey and the interl developments in Turkey, including the recent coup attempt,” sources here said following a meeting between the two ministers. “In this context, the Turkish side briefed about the role of Fethullah Gulen-led organisation FETO in the attempted coup,” they said. At least 40,030 persons have been detained and 20,355 others arrested in the aftermath of the coup attempt on July 15, in which 237 lives were lost.

Turkey has accused US-based Gulen of organising the failed coup.

The Exterl Affairs Ministry said on Thursday that Turkey’s request has been passed on to relevant Indian authorities to investigate the matter. In Friday’s meeting, the entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as important global and regiol issues of mutual interest was discussed, it is learnt

“On the multilateral front, there were discussions on the need for reform in UN Security Council,” the sources said. “India’s application for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) also featured in the discussions,” they said, adding that Turkey confirmed support for this as it had earlier for India’s membership in the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). (IANS)