President Erdoğan meets Tsipras to return 8 FETO linked ex-soldiers

President Erdoğan met with leaders from different countries in Beijing, before the One Belt One Road (OBOR) international summit which will be held between May 14-15.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met in China's capital Beijing about extradition of 8 FETO linked ex-soldiers who joined failed coup attempt in 15th July 2016.

FORUM, ERDOĞAN-TSIPRAS

World leaders are gathering in Beijing to participate in the two-day event.

Meanwhile, Erdogan met the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and demanded the extradition of eight FETO terror group members involved in 2016's July 15 failed coup attempt. The meeting between the two leaders lasted around one hour.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras that the non-extradition of Turkey's former soldiers involved in the July 15 defeated coup is incorrect, according to a Turkish presidential source on Saturday.

Erdogan made the remarks during his meeting with Tsipras on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.

The Turkish president told the Greek premier the non-extradition was "a problem" between the two countries and termed the ongoing stay of the ex-soldiers in Greece as "incorrect".

He also asked the prime minister to take necessary steps to resolve the issue, the source said.

On May 4, a Greek appeals court rejected the extradition of two former Turkish soldiers, joining six others whose extradition was similarly denied.

The ruling meant that Greek courts had rejected the extradition of all eight ex-soldiers who fled Turkey soon after the collapse of last July's coup attempt, which left 249 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

The former soldiers are accused of being involved in the foiled coup, which Turkey says was masterminded by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and the group's leader, U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen.

The Turkish government has repeatedly requested the extradition of the eight alleged coup plotters, promising they would get fair trials in Turkey.

Also, Erdogan and Tsipras agreed during their meeting that talks to resolve the Cyprus issue should continue with a "positive" agenda, the source added.
LEADERS FROM 28 COUNTRIES ATTENDED FORUM
President Erdoğan is due to hold bilateral meetings with Russian president Vladimir Putin at the Belt and Road Forum set to be attended by leaders from 28 countries.

Erdoğan said the forum will provide opportunity to meet heads of states and exchange ideas on bilateral, regional and global issues.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was also received by President Erdoğan along with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar in a 40-minute-long meeting.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was another leader received by Erdoğan, and the meeting lasted 40 minutes.

PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TURKEY AND CHINA IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is due to meet his chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and hold bilateral meetings in Beijing on saturday. Erdoğan is set to attend the belt and road forum as part of the one belt, one road project which aims to revive the ancient silk road.
During the summit, Turkey and China are expected to strengthen their partnership through economic and trade agreements.

President erdoğan's next stop will be the United states, where he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump on May 16.