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Last update - 20:10 31/10/2009
Turkey PM: If you don't want Iran to have nukes, give yours up
By Reuters
Tags: Iran nuclear, Turkey, Iran 

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that countries opposed to Iran's atomic program should give up their own nuclear weapons, and attacked as "arrogant" the sanctions imposed on Ankara's neighbor.

He also said he wanted the Middle East, and then the whole world, to rid itself of nuclear weapons.

During a trip to Iran this week, Erdogan said he backed Tehran's "right to peaceful nuclear energy" and called its approach in nuclear talks with Western powers "positive."
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The trip added to Western concern that NATO's only Muslim member may be shifting its foreign-policy focus towards the Islamic world and turning its back on Western allies.

Iran says the sole aim of its nuclear program is to generate electricity, but Western powers suspect it of secretly planning to produce nuclear weapons and are trying to persuade it to stop enriching uranium.

"... those who criticize Iran's nuclear program continue to possess the same weapons," said Erdogan, according to an advance copy, carried by state-run Anatolian news agency, of a televised address he was scheduled to make at 8 p.m.

"I think that those who take this stance, who want these arrogant sanctions, need to first give these [weapons] up. We shared this opinion with our Iranian friends, our brothers."

United Nations and U.S. sanctions have already been imposed on Iran over its nuclear program, and if current talks fail to produce agreement, Western powers may push for a further round of sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Israel is assumed to have the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal. Turkey, a European Union candidate, has been Israel's closest Muslim ally, but relations have soured since Israel's December-January offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad this week praised Erdogan for his "clear stance against" Israel.

Erdogan also said Turkey wants the Middle East, and in time the world, to be free of nuclear weapons. "We want to live in a region completely purged of nuclear weapons. We want to live in a world in which nuclear weapons no longer exist," he said.

Erdogan has tried to expand Turkey's influence in the Middle East and make it a regional power since his party, which traces it roots to an Islamist movement, took office in 2002.

Erdogan also reiterated previous remarks that Turkey and Iran have set themselves a target of more than tripling annual bilateral trade by 2011 to $30 billion.
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  1.   Erdogan is honest and brave 20:17  |  northern neighbor 31/10/09
  2.   The EU needs such input 20:18  |  Fritz T. 31/10/09
  3.   Element of Truth 20:25  |  Murat 31/10/09
  4.   France/German said Turkey not welcome in EU. So... 20:36  |  Isaaq 31/10/09
  5.   Erdogan: Fair is fair, right? 20:42  |  Brad 31/10/09
  6.   The luckiest people in the World.. (maybe) 20:45  |  H 31/10/09
  7.   either no one gets them or everyone does 20:51  |  no compromise 31/10/09
  8.   So that Israel could be wiped out easily ? 21:09  |  Nora Tel Aviv 31/10/09
  9.   WOW!! 21:11  |  S 31/10/09
  10.   Good news 21:11  |  Hassam 31/10/09
  11.   Turkey PM uncovers himself. 21:16  |  17 31/10/09
  12.   Turkey bomb 21:21  |  Mark Gilbert 31/10/09
  13.   The Obama effect... 21:25  |  ben 31/10/09
  14.   That is fine 21:29  |  Maryo 31/10/09
  15.   Well done,TUrkey 21:30  |  SIad 31/10/09
  16.   To No compromise (3) 21:31  |  Magnus K 31/10/09
  17.   Turkey in the ME 21:32  |  Keith T. 31/10/09
  18.   At least the Turks are admitting.... 21:34  |  A TRUE American 31/10/09
  19.   Nuclear Weapons/ Whs?ois more dengereou 21:37  |  alain 31/10/09
  20.   viva israel 21:41  |  alan 31/10/09
  21.   Turkey is breaking with NATO 21:42  |  Magnus K 31/10/09
  22.   #8 Maybe Turkish MP uncovers himself, 17 21:44  |  Mark B. 31/10/09
  23.   to Isaaq... They said no cuss Turkey occupies... 21:45  |  ben 31/10/09
  24.   Erdogan 22:00  |  Zarka 31/10/09
  25.   Turkey 22:06  |  Ranni 31/10/09
  26.   Turkey`s real fear 22:07  |  Christopher 31/10/09
  27.   No Arab country attacked Israel since 1973 22:22  |  MarkF 31/10/09
  28.   Most Turkish Citizens: Europe is not only choise! 22:36  |  Fatih 31/10/09
  29.   BYE, BYE NATO! 22:38  |  ERDOGAN 31/10/09
  30.   There is a difference! 22:41  |  syrian opinion 31/10/09
  31.   Nuclear Disarmament 22:42  |  David 31/10/09
  32.   If you dont want nukes, dont try to wipe us of the earth 22:43  |  Dan 31/10/09
  33.   Nora: Why shouldn`t Iran say NEVER? 22:52  |  Danny 31/10/09
  34.   Israel Grow Up be Modern 22:59  |  Stephen 31/10/09
  35.   A nuclear world is a peaceful world 23:13  |  Mark Marshall 31/10/09
  36.   A nuclear world is a peaceful world 23:16  |  Mark Marshall 31/10/09
  37.   Erdogan 23:16  |  Brandur 31/10/09
  38.   The Prime Minister is RIGHT once again... 23:40  |  Marc Leb 31/10/09
  39.   Madness, or what? 23:43  |  Per Larsson 31/10/09
  40.   islamist Turkish PM, sorry to disappoint, no equivalence between 23:43  |  jj 31/10/09
  41.   Right is Just and Just is Right 23:57  |  Murat 31/10/09
  42.   this is why turkey should never be admitted . . . 00:06  |  hebro 01/11/09
  43.   The Difference is a Nuclear Arms Race 00:15  |  Steve of Mevaserret 01/11/09
  44.   IRAN claims its program is purely peaceful,so what has it to do 00:28  |  PETER SM 01/11/09
  45.   IRAN claims its program is purely peaceful,so what has it to do 00:28  |  PETER SM 01/11/09
  46.   Turkey PM: If you don`t want Iran to have nukes, give yours up 00:49  |  Hugh 01/11/09
  47.   Brad #2 00:53  |  Hirz 01/11/09
  48.   Hassam 01:08  |  Rory 01/11/09
  49.   Turkey or Iran 01:09  |  American 01/11/09
  50.   Erdogan Filled With "Halal" Turkey Stuffing Hand Made By Iran`s.. 01:13  |  Lavi 01/11/09
  51.   Expel Turkey from NATO 01:43  |  The Prophet 01/11/09
  52.   So at least he is admitting that he beleives that Iran is trying 01:48  |  Robert 01/11/09
  53.   #2 Brad for president!!!! 01:49  |  sel 01/11/09
  54.   #8 Yes, the PM of Turkey has "uncovered" himself. 01:55  |  Ryan 01/11/09
  55.   erdogan 01:58  |  suleyman 01/11/09
  56.   turkey is at a win win situation 02:03  |  myself 01/11/09
  57.   Was it not fun heaping hatred upon Turkey? 02:10  |  Mark Lincoln 01/11/09
  58.   RESPONSE TO #2 02:23  |  Samy 01/11/09
  59.   #7 Hassam 02:32  |  James 01/11/09
  60.   Erdogan dances the Ahmadinejad quickstep 02:41  |  Peter Williams 01/11/09
  61.   turkey pm 02:44  |  mike 01/11/09
  62.   He`s right.. 02:55  |  Adem 01/11/09
  63.   GO EROGGAN, a man with logic 03:17  |  VIPER 01/11/09
  64.   turkey pushed away 03:20  |  VIPER 01/11/09
  65.   every option on the table 03:30  |  Victor 01/11/09
  66.   And who is he to talk exactly? 03:50  |  Yoav 01/11/09
  67.   #5 Nora of Tel Aviv. Nuclear weapons. 04:00  |  Maureen Ann 01/11/09
  68.   Turkey`s position 04:10  |  UK taxpayer 01/11/09
  69.   Aden, Viper 04:16  |  T. Traub 01/11/09
  70.   the iranian mouth piece 04:21  |  Shmuelshachor 01/11/09
  71.   Secular democracy? That`s funny 04:46  |  Brad 01/11/09
  72.   Erdogan Filled With "Halal" Turkey Stuffing Hand Made By Iran`s.. 05:30  |  Lavi 01/11/09
  73.   Lieberman 08:32  |  Kadir 01/11/09
  74.   M.LINCOLN remind us of "all the hatred heaped" on Turkey 10:10  |  PETER SM 01/11/09
  75.   To T. Traub 11:47  |  TrueFriend 01/11/09
  76.   Turkey, world champion of Genocide denial and Israeli bashing 12:39  |  Benjamin 01/11/09
  77.   Turkey admitting the obvious 15:17  |  A TRUE American 01/11/09
  78.   Erdogan`s Hypocrisy and Murat 17:27  |  David israel 01/11/09
  79.   The Islamist block vs. Russia and USA 17:31  |  Anonymous 01/11/09
  80.   Under the present Turkish government ... 17:43  |  Morris Valentine 01/11/09
  81.   Why? Because you don`t give gun to unstable person 17:43  |  SimpleLogic 01/11/09
  82.   All red or all dead? 17:47  |  Anonymous 01/11/09
  83.   Warriors, Attila the Hun and Conan the Barbarian 18:11  |  Anonymous 01/11/09
  84.   Maryo in Cincinatti 18:19  |  Joan 01/11/09
  85.   Put Turkey in its place! 18:23  |  Chatterbox 01/11/09
  86.   Syrian re You Opinion 18:32  |  Persian Kitty 01/11/09
  87.   Erdogan`s Hypocrisy and Murat - 2nd try 18:58  |  David Israel 01/11/09
  88.   Valid Logic but Not Reality 19:12  |  Ed 01/11/09
  89.   dishonest jive turkey erdogan 19:30  |  bernard ross 01/11/09
  90.   Erdogan`s hypocrisy and Murat- 3rd try 19:36  |  David Israel 01/11/09
  91.   Who is Erdogan ? Just a Genocide denier ! 19:37  |  Simon 01/11/09
  92.   #77 And the evil Red empire blinked and crumbled 19:42  |  Rob 01/11/09
  93.   Mark Lincoln 19:43  |  TonyL 01/11/09
  94.   Let Turkey frst stop occupation of N. Cypros & Kurdistan 19:45  |  Eve 01/11/09
  95.   Lavi in Seattle 20:33  |  Persian Kitty 01/11/09
  96.   What factions in Iran are now influencing Turkey.? 21:10  |  Sarah 01/11/09
  97.   Re: "Was it not fun heaping hatred upon Turkey"... 22:44  |  Miron 01/11/09
  98.   Erdogan`s logoc and Murat - 4th try 22:54  |  David israel 01/11/09
  99.   #22 Mark B "he does so with a sound and reasonable argument 23:14  |  17 01/11/09
  100.   Very well said 00:05  |  kia 02/11/09
  101.   Rid the world of other things first 00:28  |  RAmbo 02/11/09
  102.   Hebro # 42 Turkey has been a NATO member and American ally 01:43  |  ANY 02/11/09
  103.   Isn`t Iran stating that doesn`t want nuclear weapons.... 03:01  |  Eli 02/11/09
  104.   RE:#75 TrueFriend 04:50  |  American 02/11/09
  105.   Scare mongering Nora telaviv 05:18  |  Truth 02/11/09
  106.   re 57 Oops 06:52  |  alan th real one 02/11/09
  107.   re 70 awe shucks, Hmm, I don`t know 06:54  |  alan the real one 02/11/09
  108.   Re: #78 [Sarah] 07:17  |  Nesim 02/11/09
  109.   Poor Turkey. What a choice of "friends" it has! 07:35  |  Palestinian Brit 02/11/09
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