The leaders of Australia and New Zealand have reacted furiously to comments from the president of Turkey in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been using video footage of the attacks - in which 50 people were murdered at two mosques in the New Zealand city - at campaign rallies ahead of elections at the end of the month.
He has also attempted to link the attacks to the ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) campaign at Gallipoli during World War One.
Christchurch
Portraying the campaign as Islamophobic, President Erdoğan said: "What business did you have here? We had no issues with you, why did you come all the way over here?
"The only reason: we are Muslim and they are Christian."
He added: "They are testing us from 16,500km away, from New Zealand, with the messages they are giving from there.
"This [Christchurch terror attack] isn't an individual act; this is organised."
Over 130,000 people died during the Gallipoli campaign, which the allies ostensibly launched to gain control over the Dardanelles and open a supply route to Russia.
People attend the dawn service marking Anzac Day in Gallipoli, 25-04-207. Image: Depo Photos/ABACAPRESSGallipoli
Around 3,000 Irishmen died during the failed campaign, alongside a similar number of New Zealanders and nearly 9,000 Australians.
Over 86,000 Ottomans were among the dead.
Every year on April 25th thousands of Australians and New Zealanders travel to Turkey to mark the Gallipoli landings and commemorate the dead.
President Erdoğan further inflamed tensions by warning that anyone who travels to Turkey with anti-Islamic sentiments would be sent back in coffins, "like their grandfathers were" during the campaign.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits the graves of fallen Turkish soldiers during the commemoration ceremonies marking 104th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign, 18-03-2019. Image: Presidential Press Service"All options on the table"
In response, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sent her Foreign Minister Winston Peters to Turkey to "directly" confront the issue with officials there.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned that "all options are on the table" - including the potential for Australia to direct its citizens not to travel to Turkey on ANZAC Day.
Following a meeting with the Turkish Ambassador today, he said he does not accept the "excuses that have been offered" - which was that the president made the comments “in the heat of the moment … in an electoral context.”
File photo of Scott Morrison speaking at the International Fintech Conference 2018 in London, 22-03-2018. Image: Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Archive/PA Images"Very offensive"
Describing the comments as "very offensive" he said: "I have denounced, Australia has denounced, New Zealand has denounced, absolutely and completely, the act of extremist right-wing terrorism and white supremacist terrorism that we saw in New Zealand."
"We could not have been more forward leading in offering our great condolence and support to the Muslim community both in New Zealand and Australia."
He warned that political leaders have a responsibility to "take the temperature down in these situations" and said the "tremendous relationship" between Turkey and the two countries has been exemplified "in the spirit in which ANZAC Day has been able to be commemorated each and every year."
"I don't find these comments very helpful," he said.
"I don't find them to be very accurate or truthful as well because the actions of the Australian and New Zealand Governments have been consistent with our values of welcoming and supporting people from all over the world."
Turkey
Mr Morrison has asked the Australian ambassador to Turkey to meet with President Erdoğan's aides and, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, the outcome of the talks will determine whether travel advice for Australians in Turkey will be updated.
The travel advice already urges Australians to exercise a "high degree of caution" in Turkey.
