Senior Kyrgyz, Turkish Officials Discuss Fight Against FETO - Kyrgyz Interior Ministry

BISHKEK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2022) Kyrgyz Interior Minister Ulan Niyazbekov and Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay held a meeting in Ankara to discuss the fight against supporters of exiled Turkish Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, designated by the Turkish government as the FETO terrorist organization, the Kyrgyz ministry of internal affairs said on Wednesday.

"In the course of the meeting ... issues related to the prevention of activities of those supporting the terrorist organization FETO in Kyrgyzstan were discussed. The sides reviewed opportunities for sharing experience between Turkish and Kyrgyz security forces," a ministry spokesman said.

The officials also discussed ways to boost economic, political and cultural cooperation between the two countries, he added.

"The sides exchanged opinions concerning the results of the 10th meeting of Turkey-Kyrgyzstan Joint Economic Commission, held last year in Bishkek.

The issue of preparation for the upcoming meeting of the Turkey-Kyrgyz Republic High Level Strategic Cooperation Council, which will take place this year, co-chaired by the presidents of the two countries, was also raised," the spokesman said.

The Turkish government accuses Gulen of being responsible for a coup attempt in 2016. Over 80,000 people have been arrested in Turkey and about 150,000 public officers and military personnel fired or suspended from work over suspected ties to FETO. Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, rejected the accusations and condemned the coup attempt. The US government refuses to extradite him to Turkey.