Turkey respects Spain’s territorial integrity: Foreign ministry

ANKARA

Ankara prioritizes the territorial integrity of Spain, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said on Oct. 3, after an independence referendum was held on Oct. 1 in the Catalonia region to secede from Spain.

Turkey closely follows the “referendum initiative” of Catalonia’s autonomous government, the statement said. Saying that it supports the country’s territorial integrity, the ministry also warned against the violence used by Spanish police against voters.

“During this process it is important to respect Spain’s laws and avoid violence,” the ministry said.

“We believe that Spain, which we have a history of close friendship and alliance relations, will overcome such tests and establish a national dialogue environment in the best way with a democratic approach,” the statement said.

Spain vowed on Oct. 2 to stop Catalonia from declaring independence after the banned referendum that saw riot police use batons and rubber bullets, as the country grappled with its deepest crisis in decades.

Images of riot police beating up would-be voters with batons and firing rubber bullets to disperse crowds during the referendum in the wealthy northeastern region shocked many in Spain and its neighbors in Europe.