Turkish PM says Ankara faced with 'war of perceptions'

NEW YORK

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday that a “war of perceptions” is being carried out on Turkey through false information and propaganda disseminated by international actors.

"There are terrorist acts against Turkey at home, but there is also another form of terrorism against it from abroad, which is terrorism via perception operations," Davutoglu said in New York during a meeting with representatives of the Turkish community in the U.S.

"This perception terrorism is as dangerous as armed terrorism inside and it is taking on the future of Turkey," Davutoglu said.

The Turkish premier is in the U.S. to attend the UN General Assembly.

Davutoglu singled out false allegations laid against the Turkish government because of the country's stance on the Palestinian and Syrian conflicts as examples of the “war of perceptions” -- manipulation of how Turkey is viewed at home and globally -- being waged on Ankara.

He urged Turkish citizens in the U.S. to defend their country of origin against such operations that he says are conducted by vested interests.

"Another request of ours from you is that you open your hearts to all people whose hearts beat with Turkey and not to become introverted. There is now a Somali diaspora that defends Turkey in every occasion," he said, adding that Turkey has defended the causes of oppressed peoples such as Somalis, Palestinians, Syrians, Egyptians, Bosnians, Albanians and Crimean Tatars on every international platform.