CNN's Watson Granted Tour By Turkish Military At Syrian Border

CNN correspondent Ivan Watson, who was called by then-Prime Minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan an “agent” to stir up trouble in Turkey during the first anniversary of the 2013 Gezi Park protests, has been granted an exclusive tour by the Turkish military of security measures on the Syrian border.

The Prime Ministry is aware that the exclusive tour was granted by the Turkish military after a special request from government authorities, Today's Zaman has learned.

“Turkey's military gives CNN rare, exclusive tour of fortifications along Turkey's border with Syria,” said Watson in his Twitter post early on Tuesday.

In another Twitter post, he said, “Turkey's military gives me an exclusive tour of part of its border security measures with Syria.”

His tweets caused speculation among Turkish media on Tuesday, some saying it signified a rift between the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the government.

But a source in Ankara who wished to remain anonymous told Today's Zaman that the special tour was granted after government authorities asked the TSK to give CNN a tour of the Syrian border. The source said Watson had originally asked for an interview with the governor of Kilis, the governor's office then asked the TSK to provide permission for a tour along the border saying that the prime ministry knew about the deal.

Watson, CNN International's senior correspondent in Turkey, was questioned and detained briefly during a live interview at Gezi anniversary protests on May 31 this year. He was later accused of being an “agent” and stirring up trouble in Turkey by Erdoğan.

“A pawn from CNN was trying to do something [in Taksim Square on May 31]. CNN International conducted an eight-hour broadcast during last year's Gezi events. Why? To stir up trouble in my country. This year, they were caught red-handed,” said Erdoğan, during an address to his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting in June.

“They have nothing to do with free, impartial and independent media. They are given special tasks. They serve as agents. That is why they are here,” he said.

Watson and his staff were questioned for half an hour. İstanbul Police Department said the incident was not a detention but a matter of checking their credentials.

Watson said Erdoğan and his entourage know him personally since he has conducted several interviews and accompanied him when he was the prime minister on election campaign tours, adding that he was invited with a television crew on his private jet in 2009.

According to Watson's report, the Turkish military showed him how the border has been fortified with cameras, fences and troops. He showed a big ditch on the Turkey-Syria border to prevent people crossing from both sides of the border and pointed out the difficulties Turkey faces in preventing foreign fighters from crossing.

(Cihan/Today's Zaman)