Monday, 31 August 2009 09:13

World Bulletin / News Desk

Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan met with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Sunday, state-run news agency said.

Caglayan told reporters that they discussed relations between the two countries. Caglayan added that he conveyed Turkey’s views about the incidents which occurred in Urumqi on July 5 and affected everybody deeply.

Caglayan said that Chinese foreign minister briefed him about the measures taken after the incidents in Urumqi. Caglayan added that he would also visit Urumqi.

Caglayan said that Uighur Turks were important for Turkey as they were both Turks and Muslims.

Caglayan is expected to meet with Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao today, Anadolu Agency said.

Uighur demonstrators took the streets in Urumqi on July 5 to protest against Han Chineses’ attacks on Uighurs workers at a factory in south China in June which left two Uighurs dead. Hans in Urumqi sought bloody revenge two days later.

World Uighur Congress said that near 800 Uigurs were killed during a week-violence after Han Chineses attacks and following intervention of China forces. The China governmnet put the death toll 197.

Video appeared showing Chinese lynch that sparked Uighur protests. Exiled Uighur leaders said the protests were peaceful until security forces over-reacted with deadly force.

East Turkistan was occupied by the communist China in 1949 and its name was changed in 1955.

Turkey’s stance

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan called killings “genocide”.

He said: “The incidents in China are, simply put, a genocide. There’s no point in interpreting this otherwise.”

Turkey keeps protests against China violence in Uighur region and a Minister and a Turkish consumer organization has called for boycott of Chinese goods.

Many Uighurs resent Han Chinese rule, complaining they’re marginalised economically and politically in their own land, while having to tolerate a rising influx of Han Chinese migrants.

Meanwhile, human rights groups accuse Beijing of using claims of “terrorism” as an excuse to crack down on peaceful pro-independence sentiment and expressions of Uighur identity.

East Turkistan, that has 8 million Uighurs, borders Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, has abundant oil reserves and is China’s largest natural gas-producing region.

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