Turkey moves to warn foreign partners about FETO

By Nazli Yuzbasioglu and Sultan Cogalan

ANKARA (AA) – Diplomatic sources have told Anadolu Agency that Turkey’s missions abroad have been working intensively to brief and inform host countries about the July 15 coup plot and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Speaking anonymously, sources said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Turkey’s overseas missions had redoubled their efforts after the coup attempt which left 246 people martyred and around 2,200 others injured.

While Cavusoglu has contacted 120 ministerial counterparts, Turkey's foreign missions have so far held 64 official talks at head-of-state level plus 88 at prime ministerial level.

Turkish diplomats also met almost 600 ministers, 1,444 foreign members of parliament, plus nearly 6,190 senior officials to explain FETO’s structure and network abroad.

The sources added that 111 countries and six international organizations expressed their support to the Turkish government after FETO’s defeated coup attempt.

Turkish diplomats contracted the international media 2,270 times, wrote 448 articles and letters, and organized 236 news meetings.

As a result of these diplomatic efforts, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation designated FETO as a terror group on Oct.19. Six days earlier, the Gulf Cooperation Council also blacklisted the shadowy network.

Seventy-nine FETO organizations operating abroad -- including schools and training centers -- have been shut down or transferred to the Turkish government so far, added the source.