Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Obama: US to Help Turkey Ensure Coup Plotters Brought to Justice

by Reuters

   HANGZHOU, CHINA --

   U.S. President Barack Obama told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan
   Sunday that his administration would work with Turkey to help ensure
   that those responsible for an attempted coup are brought to justice.

   "This is the first opportunity that I've had to meet face-to-face with
   President Erdogan since the terrible attempted coup that took place in
   July. By taking to the streets to resist the coup attempt, the Turkish
   people once again affirmed their commitment to democracy and the
   strength and resilience of democratic institutions inside of Turkey. I
   indicated at the time the unequivocal condemnation of these actions and
   spoke personally to president Erdogan to offer any support that we
   might be able to provide in both ending the attempted coup, but also in
   investigating and bringing perpetrators of these illegal actions to
   justice," Obama said.

   Erdogan indicated that efforts were under way to gather evidence from
   the attempted coup, and that the ministries of justice would
   corroborate in their efforts hold the perpetrators accountable.

   "The post attempted-coup documentation and evidence therein will be
   amassed and they will be submitted to our friends in the United States.
   The efforts are still under way. We had welcomed a delegation from the
   American Justice Department and a similar delegation from the Turkish
   Ministry of Justice will go to the United States. Our minister of
   justice and minister of interior will travel together to the United
   States whereby they will concentrate their efforts on the elaboration
   of this evidence," Erdogan said.

   Obama and Erdogan met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit under way in
   eastern China's Hangzhou city.