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.


Crisis Looms as Erdogan Targets Istanbul Mayor

Dorian Jones

   ISTANBUL - A political storm is brewing between Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem
   Imamoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as Erdogan continues to
   publically blast the opposition mayor with criticism.

   "The mayor of Istanbul rubs shoulders with those who have links with
   terrorism in Diyarbakır," said Erdogan on Sunday at a rally of
   supporters in Trabzon, an electoral stronghold.

   "Those who cannot take up a position against terrorism cannot be a
   mayor or a politician," he added.

   Erdogan was referring to Imamoglu's visit to Diyarbakir, the main city
   in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast.

   The Istanbul mayor met last weekend with fellow mayors of Diyarbakir,
   Van and Mardin. All were removed from office last month by the Interior
   Ministry as part of a probe into links to the outlawed Kurdish rebel
   group the PKK.

.