US president's immigration policy unacceptable- Turkey deputy prime minister

iyebiye olawuyi

January 31, 2017 11:18 AM

Trump issued an executive order that barred entry to citizens from Syria, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Libya and Sudan

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus (L), pictured in January 2016, said it would be "militarily and strategically" smart to follow the current anti-Islamic State operation in Mosul with an anti-IS operation in Raqa

The new U.S. immigration policy imposed by President Donald Trump is something that cannot be accepted, Turkey’s deputy prime minister said in comments published by HaberTurk newspaper on Tuesday.

Trump issued an executive order on Friday that barred entry to citizens from Syria, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Libya and Sudan for 90 days and suspended the U.S. refugee programme.

“It is not possible to accept this,’’ said Numan Kurtulmus, adding that immigration policy in the West was being heavily influenced by Islamophobic attitudes.

He warned that anti-Muslim groups and organisations like Islamic State were ultimately working in the same direction.

Kurtulmus expressed hopes the ban that targeted citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries would be amended.

The deputy prime minister was the sole Turkish official to express open opposition to the immigration ban so far.

Though Turkey is a Muslim-majority country, officials have so far been cautious when it comes to criticising Trump.

The Turkish government’s silence on the ban has sparked some concern: One columnist at the daily Hurriyet newspaper said she was troubled by the government’s lack of reaction.

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