Speaking at a joint press conference with Tunisian Prime Minister Ali el- Urayyid, Erdogan said Deputy PM Bulent Arinc made the necessary remarks regarding the protests and responded to the questions.
"Representatives of Taksim Platform held a press conference following the meeting with Arinc. What we said about the protests is obvious. We have talked about holding a referendum but the representatives of the Taksim Platform made a statement saying 'It was out of question to hold a referendum'," said Erdogan.
Regarding allegations that foreign nationals carrying diplomatic passports were arrested at Gezi Park protests, Erdogan said, "It is not true that seven (foreign) nationals who were arrested were carrying diplomatic passports. Six of the foreigners are at the prosecutor's office and one is under police custody. Investigating who they are, where they come from and how they took part in the protests is the duty of security forces and judicial authorities."
Erdogan said he had respect and love for the protesters who staged demonstrations out of environmental concerns, and set them apart from "extremists" who he said engaged in acts of terror.
Erdogan and Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh held a joint press conference after the second Turkey-Tunisia High Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
"Setting fire to vehicles in public service and private cars, damaging stores, tearing down bus stops; these are not expressions of environmentalism," said Erdogan. "On the other hand, I have respect and love for the environmentally-aware."
Turkish prime minister reemphasized the distinction he makes between peaceful protesters and extremists, saying the terrorist group which perpetrated a suicide attack on the US Embassy in Ankara, known as Revolutionary People's Liberation Party–Front (DHKP-C), was exposed in its activities both in protests and on social media.
Taksim project a blend of "history, culture and nature"
Protests similar to Taksim Gezi Park demonstrations were held against the government before, Erdogan said, when it moved to construct a large convention center in Golden Horn, Istanbul. Erdogan maintained his government made considerable efforts for improving environment, planting 2.8 million seedlings and young trees in a decade.
"Our Taksim project is one that blends together history, culture and nature," he said.
"50% of voters"
Asked whether he accepted the apology his deputy Bulent Arinc, who acted on his behalf during the official tour, made to the protesters, Erdogan said he had earlier made a similar statement.
"I also made an apology to the environmental protesters who were affected by pepper gas," he said. "But we need to acknowledge the fact that there is no state on earth which doesn't use pepper gas, even among developed countries."
Rights cannot be defended through unlawful means, Erdogan said, adding his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party did not violate rules in its struggle when faced with dissolution due to claims it had become "a focal point for anti-secular acts", as read in the indictment of the 2008 case.
"My party, which received 50 percent of votes, was confronted with a closure case. We never tried to have our supporters pour into streets for this reason. We put up a fight within the legal framework; and eventually the judiciary dismissed the case."
Erdogan was criticized last week for seeming to imply he could mobilize a large gathering of people among his party's voters, when he had said: "There is 50 percent [of those who voted for AK Party] and we can barely keep them at home [and stop them from taking to streets for counter-protests]. But we have called on them to calm down.”
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Erdogan was received by Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki in a meeting that was closed to the press.
