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Turkey's Leader Denies Plans for Naval Base in Sudan

by Associated Press

   ANKARA --

   Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denied that his country is
   constructing a naval base on Sudan's Red Sea coast, saying Turkey plans
   to restore Ottoman-era ruins in the area.
   In comments published in Hurriyet newspaper on Thursday, Erdogan also
   says his government "laughed" off a request for Turkey to arrest
   Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during an Islamic summit in Istanbul
   this month. Al-Bashir is on the International Criminal Court's wanted
   list for war crimes in Darfur.
   Erdogan says Turkey is not a party to the ICC's founding treaty.
   Asked about reports that Turkey would build a naval base at Sudan's
   port of Suakin, Erdogan told a group of journalists on his return from
   an Africa visit that included Sudan: "There is no such thing as a
   military port."