(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
QNA
Doha: Turkey";s First Deputy Prime Minister Omer Faruk Korkmaz praised Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani";s support for Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his great stance against the failed coup attempt, which proved the distinct relations between both countries and their peoples.
In an interview with Al Sharq, Korkmaz highlighted the developing relations at all levels, especially after the failed coup attempt, and said they will grow further at regional and international levels.
He called on Qatar to invest in Turkey";s education sector, stressing that this would fill a major gap after the Turkish government closed all schools of the 'parallel entity”.
He pointed out that there are many European universities in Turkey but no Arab university.
On the results of the investigation into the failed coup bid, Korkmaz said official investigations have not announced that there is any state involved, but there are doubts about the involvement of some countries.
On the readiness of the parallel entity to carry out the failed operation, he said the entity claims they stay away from politics, are far from plots and intrigues and loyal to the state and the Turkish people.
They also claim their sheikh ‘Fethullah Gulen"; does not aim to hold political positions, but only thinks of serving his followers and supporters.
If the putschists had demands and objections to the performance of the president and the government, they could have declared that democratically, not by warplanes and tanks, he said, adding Turkey has asked the US to extradite Gulen.
On the existence of a relationship between Gulen and the Kurdistan Workers"; Party (PKK), Korkmaz said it is normal that both sides cooperate to overthrow the Turkish state, and what 'concerns us is that both carry out terrorist operations against Turkey and its people.”
He said Erdogan";s recent visit to Russia was positive and there is a desire to restore relations to normal after Russia understood what was being plotted to spoil relations between both countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was in permanent contact with Erdogan during the failed coup attempt, which confirms Moscow";s standing with the Turkish state and its understanding that the parallel entity seeks to strain relations between both countries, he said.
Korkmaz also stressed that coming days will witness cooperation in all internal and external files at the highest possible level.
On Syrian, Korkmaz said Erdogan and Putin discussed the issue, especially since there are two points of view.
Turkey will not give up its stance towards the Syrian issue and its position is clear since the outbreak of the revolution which is with the desire of Syrian people to obtain freedom and dignity and have a democratic government.
This could be achieved only with a new transition stage without Bashar Al Assad, he added. He stressed that the committee formed between both countries is an evidence that both sides agree on the need to resolve the crisis.