Christchurch massacre: Scott Morrison welcomes Turkey clarification on threats to Australians

Scott Morrison says Turkey’s President toned down his views after the PM took him on over “offensive” threats to Australians.

Scott Morrison has welcomed the latest comments from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Picture: Kym Smith

Scott Morrison says Turkey’s President has “moderated his views” after the Prime Minister took him on over his “very offensive” outburst against Australians.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office today said the President’s comments that Australians with anti-Muslim views would be sent back in coffins like “their grandfathers (in Gallipoli)” were taken out-of-context and that he welcomed Anzac Day visitors.

The Prime Minister responded by stating “progress has been made” and that there would be further meetings with Turkish officials.

“Overnight, progress has been made on this issue and overnight we’ve already seen a moderation of the president’s views,” he said.

“It’s my intention here to break any cycle of recklessness and work through the issues practically, to register in the strongest and clearest of terms the offence that was taken, I believe rightly, by those comments yesterday.

“But now it’s time to work constructively. I want to stress again that Australia and Turkey, the peoples of both countries, have a tremendous relationship, built up over generations.”

Threat ‘taken out of context’

Turkey’s president claims his outburst against Australians were “unfortunately taken out-of-context” and that he will make ANZAC visitors to Gallipoli welcome.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has earned the ire of Scott Morrison, Bill Shorten and the RSL for telling Turkish voters that he would send Australians “back in coffins” like their grandfathers during the Gallipoli campaign.

President Erdogan’s spokesman Fahrettin Altun took to Twitter today to say the President was only talking about the Christchurch terrorist and his comments “were framed in a historical context.”

“President #Erdogan’s words were unfortunately taken out of context,” Mr Altun tweeted.

“He was responding to the so-called ‘manifesto’ of the terrorist who killed 50 innocent Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand. Turks have always been the most welcoming & gracious hosts to their #Anzac visitors.

“The terrorist’s manifesto not only targeted Erdogan himself but also the Turkish people and the Turkish state. As he was giving the speech at the Canakkale (Gallipoli) commemoration, he framed his remarks in a historical context of attacks against Turkey, past and present.”

Mr Altun also provided a “translation” of President Erdogan’s comments at a local election rally which did not include the now infamous “coffins” comment.

President #Erdogan’s words were unfortunately taken out of context. He was responding to the so-called ‘manifesto’ of the terrorist who killed 50 innocent Muslims in Christchurch, NewZealand. Turks have always been the most welcoming & gracious hosts to their #Anzac visitors.

— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) March 20, 2019

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has sent her foreign minister Winston Peters to Turkey to “correct the record” over President Erdogan’s post-Christchurch comments.

Australian government sources fear Mr Erdogan’s provocative remarks — rupturing the special bilateral relationship — could even unleash a wave of jihadist attacks on Australians at home and abroad.

It has raised fears that Australians planning to head to Gallipoli this Anzac Day may face reprisals for the Christchurch attack, urged on by Mr Erdogan’s inflammatory rhetoric, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reviewing its travel advice.

RSL acting chairman John King fears Aust­ralians may feel “threatened” if they travel to Gallipoli to commemorate Anzac Day, labelling incendiary comments made by the Turkish President as “the sort of hate and extremism” Australian Diggers fought against.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greets the crowd at a campaign rally ahead of March 31 local elections, in Sakarya on the Black Sea yesterday. Picture: AFP

Threat to traditional bonds

Australia’s unique century-old bond with Turkey, forged by the Anzacs at Gallipoli, had been plunged into a diplomatic and sec­urity­ crisis after hardline President Erdogan seized on the Christchurch terror attack by threatening to send anti-Islamic Australian tourists home in a ­coffin.

Government sources feared Mr Erdogan’s provocative remarks — rupturing the special bilateral relationship — could even unleash a wave of jihadist attacks on Australians at home and abroad.

It has raised fears that Australians planning to head to Gallipoli this Anzac Day may face reprisals for the Christchurch attack, urged on by Mr Erdogan’s inflammatory rhetoric, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reviewing its travel advice.

Scott Morrison, angered by the comments, ordered the Turkish ambassador to urgent talks in Canberra and demanded an ­apology, while Anzac partner New Zealand sent an envoy directly to Ankara.

Australia will consider cutting diplomatic ties with Turkey, which is a NATO power.

A senior government national security source told The Australian that the Turkish President’s comments­ would be construed by some as a virtual call to arms for ­jihadists to attack Australians

Concerns are also growing that future Anzac Day commemor­a­tions at Gallipoli, which have become­ a pilgrimage for thousands of Australians, could be thrown into doubt if Turkey refuses to commit security services to protect ­tourists.

The Prime Minister accused the erratic Turkish autocrat of defiling­ the memory of fallen Aust­ralians, claiming that the comments violated the pledge to the mothers of the Anzacs “etched in the stone at Gallipoli” by the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

“I can tell you that all options are on the table,” Mr Morrison said. “But my actions here are to be measured, to de-escalate, to not engage in a cycle of recklessness, but to engage in a positive spirit and to focus on the key issue ­before us.”

After dragging in the Turkish ambassador to Australia, Korhan Karakoc, Mr Morrison refused to accept his excuse that the comment­s had been made in the domestic context of upcoming local Turkish elections.

Turkish Ambassador to Australia Korhan Karakoc leaves Parliament House after a meeting with Scott Morrison. Picture: Kym Smith

The Australian understands that Mr Morrison is canvassing the recall of Australia’s ambassador to Turkey, Marc Innes-Brown, as a first step if there was no apology or action taken to remove the “offensive” comments from the country’s state media.

This was being weighed against the danger of escalating the situation and the priority of protecting Australians planning to travel to Gallipoli on April 25.

A senior government source said they were also mindful that Australia was operating in a joint effort with Turkish agencies to stop foreign fighters using the country and its porous border with Syria as an escape route back to Australia.

The advice for travel to Turkey remains­ at “exercise a high degree of caution” because of the threat of terrorism. It is unclear yet whether this would be elevated to a recommendations for travel to be reconsidered or the highest level warning of not to travel.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott, who met Mr Erdogan in 2015 during a visit for the 100th commemoration of Gallipoli, said the President had a history of making offensive remarks.

He said although the remarks were “over-the-top rhetoric”, they had consequences for Australia’s strategic position, considering Turkey was a NATO partner and in command of the largest military land force in Europe.

“It’s over-the-top rhetoric and no more than rhetoric but it is indicativ­e of a worrying mindset,” he said. “The fact a leader of an importan­t country such as Turkey could say something so gratuit­ously offensive, bombastic and as misguided … shows how rapidly Australia’s strategic position is changing for the worse.

“It shows NATO is no longer a united entity.”

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has held talks with her Turkish counterpart amid strained relations.

The erratic Turkish firebrand told a rally on Tuesday in northern Turkey that Australia would pay for the Christchurch massacre.

“Your grandparents came here … and they returned in coffins. Have no doubt we will send you back like your grandfathers,” Mr Erdogan said at the rally, where he aired footage of the Christchurch attack that was streamed live by Australian Brenton Tarrant as he gunned down 50 Muslim worshippers attending prayers at mosques in the New Zealand city.

“You heinously killed 50 of our siblings. You will pay for this. If New Zealand doesn’t make you, we know how to make you pay one way or another,” Mr Erdogan said.

Mr Morrison responded swiftly to the remarks early yesterday. “They are offensive, because they insult the memory of our Anzacs and they violate the pledge that is etched in the stone at Gallipoli, of the promise of Ataturk to the mothers of our Anzacs,” he said.

“So I understand the deep offence­ Australians would be feeling about this. It is truly upsetting. I have conveyed that in the strongest possible terms to the Turkish ambassador today and I do not ­accept the excuses that have been offered for those comments.”

He said he had asked for those comments to be removed from Turkish television. “I expect that to occur. I will wait to see what the response is from the Turkish governme­nt before taking further ­action, but I can tell you that all ­options are on the table.”

Last night, Foreign Minister Marise Payne held talks with her Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Mr Morrison urged Australians to rethink their Anzac Day travel plans to Gallipoli as diplomats scrambled to reassess travel warnings and security arrangements for Australian expats and overseas missions in Islamic nations.

Security experts echoed concerns of reprisals against Australians for the Christchurch attack.

Australian Strategic Policy Institu­te head Peter Jennings said Mr Erdogan’s comments showed Islamic extremists were picking up on the Christchurch massacre to “incite hatred” among followers, placing Australians overseas at greater risk.

Bill Shorten labelled Mr Erdogan­’s remarks “foolish and ­offensive”, saying they stoked disunity and hatred. “Intemperate and regrettable remarks like this only play into the hands of those who seek to divide,” the Labor leader said.