Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses Libyans at Martyrs' Square.***
TRIPOLI - Ferhat Demircan
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that those who inflicted repression on the people of Syria would not survive.
Prime Minister Erdogan addressed a cheering Libyan crowd in the Martyrs' Square in Tripoli, the third stop of his historic tour of north African countries.
"It is a great enthusiasm and a great pleasure to me to see that Libyan people's struggle for freedom and democracy has concluded with victory," he said.
"You are the ones who showed the whole world that no administration can stand in the way of the might and will of the people. I am calling out to those in Sirte and those in Bani Walid to unite with each other. Because your unity will carry Libya to the level of the most developed countries," he said.
"I was in Tunisia yesterday and in Egypt the day before to greet those who started the 'Arab Spring'. Today, I am here with you. Do not forget that those in Syria who inflict repression on the people will not survive. Atrocity does not bring happiness to anyone. Now, autocratic and totalitarian regimes are over. It is the time of people's rule. I congratulate your struggle," he said.
Libyan people listened on Friday Turkish prime minister's speech with great interest in Tripoli.
The square was decorated with Turkish and Libyan flags, and banners in Arabic writing "Mr. Erdogan is beside us, hand-in-hand", and "Thank you Turkey, thank you Erdogan" were hung on surrounding buildings.
All roads were closed to traffic, while Turkish security forces and armed Libyan opposition forces took tight security measures around the square.
During Erdogan's address, Libyans chanted slogans supporting the revolt in Syria.
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Erdogan arrives in Tripoli |
Prime Minister Erdogan met with NTC Chairman
Erdogan had a tete-a-tete meeting with NTC Chairman Abdel Jalil in Tripoli.
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a tete-a-tete meeting with Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil in Tripoli on Friday. The meeting lasted about an hour.
Erdogan later proceeded to the Martrys' Square, and addressed Libyans.
Erdogan's visit to contribute to commercial ties with Arab countries
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's visit to the rebuilding nations of Arab Spring will contribute to commercial ties between Turkey and those countries.
Dogan Narin, chairman of the Turkish-Arab Countries Businessmen's Association (TURAB), told AA correspondent that there were deep-rooted relations between Turkey and Arab countries, and those relations had improved more in the past 8 years.
Arab Spring also caused several problems in these countries, Narin said. "There is need for investment in almost all sector in these countries, especially in the sector of contracting. After problems are solved there, a restructuring process will begin. I think that Turkey will be very advantageous in this process," he said.
Businessmen welcomed Erdogan's visit to the countries of Arab Spring, he said. "We expect trade volume between Turkey and Arab countries to double within next two years," he said. Turkey would be the most profitable country during this process, he said.
The initiative that was launched by Prime Minister Erdogan must be continued by Turkish businessmen, he added.
Egyptian businessmen delegation due in Turkey
An Egyptian businessmen delegation will arrive in Turkey to hold commercial meetings, while Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyp Erdogan is continuing his tour of North African countries.
Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK) stated on Friday that 40 Egyptian businessmen would visit Turkey between September 18 and 20 under the coordination of Turkey-Egypt Business Council.
The guest delegation will hold meetings in Turkey's southern provinces of Adana and Mersin and southeastern province of Gaziantep. During the talks, Turkish and Egyptian companies will hold bilateral commercial meetings.
Turkish PM meets with prime minister of transitional government in Tunisia
PM Erdogan met with Tunisia's transitional government's Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi in Tunis on Thursday.
Erdogan was welcomed by Essebsi at the prime ministry building.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Justice & Development (AK) Party Deputy Chairman Omer Celik also attend the meeting.
After the meeting, a cooperation agreement will be signed between the two countries.
Erdogan and Essebsi will hold a joint press conference.
Tunisian premier says democracy and Islam do not contradict each other
The prime minister of the Tunisian transitional government, Beji Caid Essebsi, said Turkey and Tunisia had proven that democracy and Islam did not contradict each at all.
At a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently on a visit to Tunisia as part of a tour of Arab countries, Essebsi said that they exchanged views on state-religion affairs.
"Turkey and Tunisia had proven that democracy and Islam do not contradict each at all. We agreed that a fair state should give freedom to all religious faiths. On the other hand, we are against all kinds of extremism," he said.
Tunisian premier said that they were determined to further improve political and economic relations with Turkey.
Referring to developments in the Middle East, Essebsi said that Tunisia was one of the first countries recognizing Palestinian people's right to form their own state, and extended support to Palestinian people.
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PM Erdogan arrives in Tunisia |