Evacuation of Turks from Kyrgyzstan

“We have closely followed developments there from the outset. There is no problem concerning the situation of our citizens,” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül told reporters yesterday.

Approximately 3,500 Turks are living in Kyrgyzstan, comprising students studying in private universities, academics teaching in Kyrgyz universities, businessmen and workers, said Turkish officials.

The plane’s return date was not clear, but officials said it was expected to arrive in Turkey on Saturday morning after taking those Turks who want to leave the country immediately.

Shops owned by Turks were not exempt from looting that broke out along with the anti-government protests. One Turkish hotel was seized by protestors in the capital Bishkek and several other companies were looted. Officials did not confirm press reports that five Turks had been killed.

Some 450 Turkish companies are operating in Kyrgyzstan in a number of areas, ranging from hotel ownership to food production, banking and construction, Turkish-Kyrgyz Business Council Chairman Cem Özgür told Anatolia news agency.

Gül said Turkish shops suffered from violence on the streets but emphasized there was no anti-Turkey sentiments involved.

Turkish officials said there was no information indicating that any Turkish citizens might have been killed or injured.

Turkey has remained silent after similar revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine have changed the governments. For Kyrgyzstan, a country which shares ethnic affinity with Turkey, Ankara appeared to welcome the developments.

Emphasizing that development of democracy in Kyrgyzstan was important, Gül said Turkey had contacted everyone involved, including those who are in the movement that toppled the government.

“Those who appear to be leading the movement are mostly the former prime ministers, former ministers and statesmen,” Gül said. “They are all friends of Turkey.”

He also welcomed that the Kyrgyz Parliament has convened and set out authorities of the interim administration.

The Turkish delegation which headed to Kyrgyzstan yesterday is led by Metin Göker, Turkey’s first ambassador in Bishkek, and comprises Foreign Ministry bureaucrats.