Turkish Prime Minister: America's Approach to the Gulen Issue Broke Our Hearts

Binali Yildirim, the Prime Minister of Turkey, states that the alliance between the United States and Turkey should go beyond legal norms and that the U.S. must return Fethullah Gulen to Turkey. Yildirim says America's response to this issue 'broke our hearts.' According to Anadolu Agency, Yildirim emphasized on August 5 that 'the evidence regarding Gulen's involvement in the failed coup in Turkey is quite clear.' In another part of his remarks, without going into details, he mentioned, 'We have confessions from suspects involved in the coup, who said they received orders from this individual (Gulen).' Yildirim also added that the U.S. continually demands evidence from the Turkish government for Gulen's extradition: 'But the martyrs who were killed in the bombings and trampled by tanks were sufficient evidence.' The issue of Gulen's extradition, a cleric residing in the U.S. and a major critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, has led to tensions in Ankara-Washington relations. The Turkish government requested Gulen's extradition shortly after the failed coup ten days ago. In response, the United States stated that if Ankara provides precise and verifiable evidence, Washington could consider the matter. On the other hand, from the President to the Secretary of State, U.S. officials have criticized Turkey's stance regarding America and linking it to the coup issue. In his remarks on August 5, the Turkish Prime Minister stated that for Turkey, the issue of 'alliance' between the two countries should be considered more important than the usual legal norms and processes. Yildirim's latest comments come as President Barack Obama, in a phone call with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, asked the Turkish President to 'make it clear to all members of his government that [the accusations of U.S. involvement in the Turkish coup] are completely unfounded. Otherwise, the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the security of American forces in Turkey could be at risk.' Following the failed coup in Turkey, the government has carried out extensive purges in military, security, judicial, and governmental structures, accusing many of the detained or dismissed individuals of being linked to the 'Hizmet' movement, which is influenced by Gulen's ideology. Western countries have expressed their concerns about Ankara's reactions to events following the failed coup. Turkey has rejected these concerns, stating that these actions are necessary to stabilize democracy in the country.