The decision of Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf to invite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Scotland has been met with widespread criticism from both his own party and opposition parties. The offer of invitation was revealed in a freedom of information release to The Herald newspaper, with the controversial meeting between Yousaf and Erdogan reportedly taking place at the COP28 summit in December. Numerous figures in the SNP, including government partners the Greens, have expressed concerns due to Erdogan’s treatment of Kurds.
Despite this, Yousaf has defended his actions, stating that he would raise human rights concerns with Erdogan were a meeting to take place. He argued that it was important for Scotland to engage with Nato allies such as Turkey, as well as pursuing business and trade opportunities with them. The meeting between Yousaf and Erdogan covered a range of issues, including the conflict between Israel and Hamas and the plight of Yousaf’s parents-in-law, who were trapped in Gaza.
However, opposition politicians have seized on the invitation as a source of weakness for Yousaf and the SNP, given Erdogan’s reputation for human rights abuses and authoritarianism. Scottish Conservative external affairs spokesperson Donald Cameron stated that many in the public would be questioning whether Yousaf’s invitation had overstepped the mark, whilst Green MSP Ross Greer accused the Turkish regime of “ethnic cleansing of the Kurds” and imprisoning opposition politicians on made-up charges.
The controversy has been compounded by Yousaf’s recent expressed unease with the term “national” in the SNP’s name, as he believes it can be misinterpreted. Nevertheless, Yousaf’s claim that the SNP is a “civic national party” has not convinced its opponents, with some accusing the party of window-dressing an outdated and potentially dangerous notion. With the ongoing police investigation into SNP finances, those looking to criticize the party and the First Minister have plenty of ammunition to use
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More