Islam Times - Turkish party criticizes government over Hashemi's stay in Turkey

Islam Times - Leader of Turkey’s Democrat Party Namik Kemal Zeybek has criticized Ankara for giving an official welcome to Iraq’s fugitive Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi.

“Giving an official welcome to Tariq Hashemi as Iraq’s vice president, while he is being sued for crimes he has allegedly committed, has special meaning. It can be interpreted as challenging the legitimate government in Iraq and this will annoy them,” he said.

Hashemi arrived in Turkey on April 10, promising that he would return to Iraq soon, but he still remains in the country.

He is accused of running a death squad to target some officials in Iraq.

Hashemi’s stay in Turkey comes at a time of strained ties between Iraq and Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of fueling sectarian tensions in Iraq.

Maliki has responded to Erdogan by branding Turkey a hostile country meddling in Iraq’s internal affairs.

Some observers believe that Hashemi’s continued stay in Turkey is one of the main factors that have created a diplomatic spat between Turkey and Iraq and triggered a war of words between the leaders of the two neighboring countries.