Turkish MP questions government on Sharon's visit

A Turkish parliament member Tuesday questioned the government on the reasons behind extending the invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to visit Ankara on Wednesday.

The MP said Sharon was invited despite the brutal crimes he commits against the Palestinian people and the possibility of trying him before a Belgian court as a war criminal.

"Such invitation will mar the image of the Turkish people in the eyes of the Palestinians," he said.

A local paper was saying he does not have any secret plans to discuss with the Turkish officials during his visit quoted Sharon.

However, the visit aims at widening the scale of relations between Israel and Turkey.

The Turkish security forces Tuesday arrested 25 people who were part of many other demonstrators of a rally organized Tuesday in protest against the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to Turkey set for Wednesday.

The security authorities prevented protesters from reading a press release including strong criticism of the controversial visit by the Israeli premier.

The authorities dispersed the protesters who were chanting slogans calling for putting Sharon to trial as a war criminal.

Also, the state security court in Istanbul Tuesday started measures to try three Turkish journalists working for Islamic oriented newspapers on the plea of writing articles calling upon the Turkish people to demonstrate against Sharon's visit.

The Turkish security authorities have already started taking strict security measures ahead of Sharon's visit.