ISTANBUL, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday the nationwide anti-government protests have damaged Turkey's reputation in the international arena.
"No one will benefit from the continuation of the protests, it will just damage the reputation of our country, which is admired both in the region and the world," Davutoglu said via his official Twitter account.
In his first remarks about the recent demonstrations in Istanbul's Taksim square and other cities, the minister said the events show Turkey in a way that the country does not deserve.
The demonstrations started as a reaction against the demolition of Taksim's Gezi Park and later turned into clashes between the police forces and protesters.
The anti-government protests have spread to 67 provinces across the country, including the capital Ankara and the coastal cities of Antalya and Izmir.
About 200 people have been injured in the clashes and thousands were detained.