Abbott To Persuade Turkey To Tighten Border Security During Anzac Day Visit

Tony Abbott said that he would try to persuade turkey to increase security on its borders with Iraq and Syria. The Australian prime minister is scheduled to visit the Western Asian country for Anzac Day commemorations.

Abbott said at the opening ceremony of the New Australian War Memorial in New Zealand that he would discuss the matter with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He said that the Australians who had gone to fight with Islamic State fighters travelled through Turkey. “So I will be talking to the Turkish leadership about what can be done to better police that border and better ensure that people who have no reason to be going there are prevented from being there,” Abbott said.

Abbott added that it was critical to stop “gullible, impressionable young Australians” from joining extremist forces like IS. Numerous potential extremists prefer the Turkish border to enter IS-controller regions in Iraq and Syria. The West has been critical of Turkey for not doing enough to protect its borders.

Australian police arrested five Melbourne teenagers who had been planning to launch a terrorist attack during the Anzac Day commemorations on April 25. It was revealed that there was an IS connection to the alleged terror plan. One of the young boys, 18-year-old Sevdet Besim, was charged with conspiring to commit a terrorist act.

The Australian PM called the citizen of his country as “peaceful people.” According to Abbott, Australians are naturally reluctant to reach out to foreign conflicts. However, this time it is “reaching out” to Australians, he said.

“That’s why this deployment to the Middle East is not just about helping people over there, it’s about helping our own people too,” Abbott referred to 330 Australian troops as well as around 140 New Zealanders who had been operating in Baghdad as “splendid sons of Anzacs.”

Abbott said that he was thrilled that Australia and New Zealand were working together. He added that it was “quite fitting” that, 100 years on, the two countries were again working on their values and interests together in Iraq. He also said that sending troops to the Middle East to fight IS forces was necessary.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au