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Diasporas in UK urge Boris to make Turkey see sense

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The leaders of the Cypriot, Armenian, Kurdish and Egyptian diasporas in the UK have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging him to “incentivise” Ankara to end its destabilising actions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

They said in a letter that Turkey has increasingly become a “destructive force” in the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider region, that routinely violates international law.

This, they add in their letter, has caused regional instability, undermines UK interests in the region and runs contrary to the principles of Global Britain.

Detailing Turkey’s actions they point to “frequent illegal maritime and land incursions into neighbouring countries”, “deliberately aggressive and inflammatory rhetoric from President Erdogan to stoke racial, religious & political tensions” as well as “emerging and longstanding evidence of collusion with Daesh”.

The co-signatories highlight the concern that such actions cause and point to the decision by the UK Foreign Secretary not to grant new export licenses to Turkey for weapons which may be used in Syria.

Leaders acknowledge London’s positive foreign policy agenda but it “makes the UK’s current absence from the Eastern Mediterranean, where it has historically had a very prominent role, all the more noticeable.”

Prime Minister Johnson is urged to exercise the “crucial role” that the UK can play in holding the Turkish government to account “with clear commitments and conditions as part of the UK-Turkey trade deal”.

“These trade talks represent a unique opportunity to reinforce this positive foreign policy agenda, by encouraging and incentivising Turkey to cease its actions aimed at destabilising the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider region.

We urge our Government to utilise this opportunity to reinforce our foreign policy goals.”