Biden Urges Turkey to Show Patience Regarding Gulen Case

Joe Biden, the Vice President of the United States, on Wednesday urged Turkish officials to show patience regarding the investigation into the case of Fethullah Gulen. Turkey, which accuses Gulen of orchestrating the failed coup in June, has requested that the U.S. extradite him as soon as possible. According to the Associated Press, Mr. Biden, who met with Turkish officials in Ankara, emphasized the U.S. government's cooperation in the Gulen case, stating that judicial processes related to extradition take time. Meanwhile, Gulen has denied any involvement in the failed coup of July 15, which resulted in the deaths of over 270 people. After discussions with the Turkish Prime Minister, Biden said at a press conference, 'I understand the strong feelings of the government and people of Turkey regarding him. We are cooperating with Turkey in this matter. Our legal experts are currently assessing the evidence and documents necessary for Gulen's extradition according to our laws and the extradition treaty.' Biden also sought to address claims regarding the U.S. harboring Gulen, stating, 'We have no interest whatsoever in protecting someone who has harmed an ally nation. However, we must comply with all legal requirements.' He warned that President Obama would not intervene in the extradition case, clarifying, 'It must be clear that under U.S. law, no president has the right to extradite someone using their powers. Such a decision is solely within the jurisdiction of the courts. If a president were to do this, it would be an impeachable offense.' The Associated Press notes that Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have repeatedly asked the U.S. government to expedite Gulen's extradition. Gulen has been living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania for years. Bekir Bozdag, Turkey's Minister of Justice, stated on Wednesday that an official extradition request for Gulen, for his alleged involvement in the coup attempt, will be submitted to the relevant authorities in the U.S. next week. Biden added in another part of the press conference, 'The anger of the Turkish people is understandable, but there should be no doubt that we will cooperate with Turkish officials in reviewing and resolving this case.' He also denied claims that the U.S. had prior knowledge of the coup attempt, stating, 'The United States had no prior knowledge of the events that occurred on July 15.' Binali Yildirim, the Turkish Prime Minister, reiterated his country's request for the U.S. to expedite the Gulen case during the press conference. He said, 'If the process of returning (Gulen) to our country for punishment is expedited, if our cooperation in this matter increases, the dissatisfaction and resentment of the Turkish people will quickly turn into feelings of satisfaction.' Earlier on Wednesday, Biden visited damaged sections of the parliament building. Anadolu, the Turkish state news agency, reported that a group of young people protested along the route of Biden's vehicle heading to the Prime Minister's office. Since the failed coup last month, anti-American sentiments in Turkey have increased. Biden hopes to alleviate some of the existing issues in the relations between the two countries, but his influence is limited.