Turkey blasts 'unfounded' Austrian statement

ANKARA

Turkey's Foreign Ministry condemned a statement on Monday by a senior Austrian official concerning the country’s president and protests on Israeli aggression against Palestinians.

"We reject and condemn the unfounded statements made by the Interior Minister of Austria about our country and President concerning the protests carried out in Vienna against Israel's atrocities on Palestinians," said ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic.

Bilgic said Turkey invited Austrian authorities to refrain from statements containing anti-Turkish rhetoric, adding that such remarks stemmed from "purely domestic political concerns" that damage ties between the two countries.