Turkey is working with Iran to secure its borders: Kalin

"We are doing everything to secure our border, are working with Iranian border security, have built a wall, electronic surveillance systems, installed cameras, built observation posts. Now the international community, the US, the UN, need to act. We cannot take in any more people," Kalın said in an interview with German magazine SPIEGE with regard new influxes of Afghan refugees.

In response to Turkey's close relations with Russian much to NATO's chagrin, the Turkish official said, "We are a strong member of NATO and are fully and completely committed to it. We have often taken part in its missions. We want to see NATO as a strong alliance.

""We are doing everything to secure our border, are working with Iranian border security, have built a wall, electronic surveillance systems, installed cameras, built observation posts"Problems among members should not weaken it."

He stressed that Europe needs to be independent of the United States, saying "America is an important actor. But I criticize the Europeans for looking first towards Washington when they make many decisions. It doesn’t show political leadership. Nobody is saying that the Europeans should leave America out of their decisions. But Europe is a strong continent – politically and economically very significant.

It should be more influential and independent when it comes to geostrategic decisions – but instead it remains in the shadow of the US."

On the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Kalin claimed, "Saudi Arabia has worked through the matter legally. Now we need to concentrate on where we can work together." 

KI/FNA14000714000593;PR