Turkish FM: FETO will 'pay the price' at home, abroad

By Mustafa Keles

ASUNCION, Paraguay

Turkey continues to fight the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) "at home and abroad", that country’s foreign minister said late Tuesday.

The terror group "will pay the price everywhere it functions”, Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint news conference with his Paraguayan counterpart Eladio Loizaga.

Paraguay showed "great solidarity" with Turkey after the failed coup attempt last summer, Cavusoglu said.

"I presented my friend [Loizaga] about FETO's structuring in Paraguay during a meeting in New York, therefore he followed the situation closely," said Cavusoglu. "Now we have updated our list so our cooperation against FETO will continue to increase."

Ankara has accused U.S.-based FETO leader Fetullah Gulen of being the mastermind behind the coup attempt.

It also said FETO has staged a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Cavusoglu said Turkey and Paraguay signed "Friendship and Cooperation Agreement" and "Air Transportation Agreement" during his visit.

"We also discussed Turkish Airlines' launching flights to Paraguay as well. Congratulations to Turkish Airlines, they wanted to increase their flight destination to Latin America," he added.

Cavusoglu began a South American tour Monday. He visited Argentina for the first time in nearly 20 year, and his visit to Paraguay marked his first-ever at the foreign ministry level.