Turkish president criticizes minaret vote in Switzerland

ANKARA, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday that Switzerland's vote on Nov. 29 to ban minarets in the country is contrary to fundamental rights and freedoms, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

"This is a shame for the Swiss," Gul was quoted as saying at the Esenboga airport in the Turkish capital of Ankara prior to his departure for a formal visit to Jordan.

"This issue should be monitored seriously," Gul said.

Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party in the parliament Tuesday that it was a wrong decision to hold the minaret vote in Switzerland, Erdogan said.

The majority of Swiss voters on Sunday said yes to a ban on the construction of Muslim minarets. The Swiss government said in a statement that it respected the decision made by Swiss voters, and "consequently the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted."