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| Turkey coup could threaten country's Nato membership, John Kerry warns | Turkey coup could threaten country's Nato membership, John Kerry warns |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Turkey could lose its membership of the Nato military alliance if it fails to uphold the principles of democracy in the wake of an attempted coup, the US has warned. | Turkey could lose its membership of the Nato military alliance if it fails to uphold the principles of democracy in the wake of an attempted coup, the US has warned. |
| Turkey’s government has been urged to uphold “democratic rule” following its response to the attempted coup, which has alarmed both the US and the EU. | Turkey’s government has been urged to uphold “democratic rule” following its response to the attempted coup, which has alarmed both the US and the EU. |
| Around 8,000 police officers have been removed in the country following the failed coup, with more than 6,000 people in the army, the judiciary and other state bodies arrested as part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's response to Friday's events. | Around 8,000 police officers have been removed in the country following the failed coup, with more than 6,000 people in the army, the judiciary and other state bodies arrested as part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's response to Friday's events. |
| He has said the people who attempted the coup "must pay," and that the government will consider introducing the death penalty for people beleived to have committed traitorous acts against the state. | He has said the people who attempted the coup "must pay," and that the government will consider introducing the death penalty for people beleived to have committed traitorous acts against the state. |
| At a joint news conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that America stands "squarely on the side of the elected leadership in Turkey," but that "we urge the government of Turkey to to uphold the highest standards of respect for the nation's democratic institutions and the rule of law". | At a joint news conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that America stands "squarely on the side of the elected leadership in Turkey," but that "we urge the government of Turkey to to uphold the highest standards of respect for the nation's democratic institutions and the rule of law". |
| While Ms Mogherini warned that countries that allow the death penalty cannot joing the European Union, Mr Kerry added that "Nato also has a requirement with respect to democracy," Washington Post reported. | |
| The US "will certainly support bringing the perpetrators of the coup to justice," he said, "but we also caution against a reach that goes beyond that and stress the importance of the democratic rule being upheld". | The US "will certainly support bringing the perpetrators of the coup to justice," he said, "but we also caution against a reach that goes beyond that and stress the importance of the democratic rule being upheld". |
| The Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has insisted that President Erdogan's government will respect democracy, while Mr Kerry responded that Nato would "measure" its actions. "Obviously a lot of people have been arrested and arrested very quickly," Mr Kerry added, "The level of vigilance and scrutiny is obviously going to be significant in the days ahead. Hopefully we can work in a contructive way that prevents backsliding." | |
| Ms Mogherini said the indcident "is no excuse to take the country away from fundamental rights and the rule of law, and we will be extremely vigilant on that." | Ms Mogherini said the indcident "is no excuse to take the country away from fundamental rights and the rule of law, and we will be extremely vigilant on that." |
| The pair spoke after a meeting in Brussels that also included the bloc's 28 foreign ministers. The US embassy in Ankara has since denied Mr Kerry's comments on Nato were a warning to Turkey. | |
| A senior official from the embassy told the Daily Sabbah, "Secretary Kerry didn't say anything at all about Nato membership being in jeopardy. There is nothing in his actual statement that indicates the US believes Turkey is in a danger in this sense." | |
| In Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said talks on Turkey's bid to the join EU would end if Ankara restores the death penalty. | |
| Her spokesman Steffen Seibert said "the institution of the death penalty can only mean that such a country could not be a member" of the bloc. | |
| Both Ms Mogherini and Mr Kerry reiterated the trans-Atlantic support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's democratically-elected government. | |
| But they illustrated deepening frustration with the Erdogan government's response to the failed coup, which has even included allegations by ministers of US complicity in the violence. | |
| Additional reporting by PA |