ANKARA - Turkish diplomats and public officials who were killed in terrorist attacks when they were working abroad were commemorated on Friday in the ceremony that was held in Foreign Ministry Cemetery.
Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul reminded that Armenian terrorist organizations like Asala and Justice Commandos, and Greek November 17 terrorist organization staged bloody assassinations against Turkish diplomats in 19 different countries.
''Our martyrs were only killed as they were honourary representatives of the Turkish Republic...I curse those terrorists who shot our officials for their wicked goals,'' Gul said.
Gul noted that the Turkish nation would never forget the diplomats and public officials who were killed in terrorist attacks and never forgive those who killed them to realize their ideological goals.
Gul stated that Turkey was pleased as the militants of Greek November 17 terrorist organization were at least caught, adding that the Turkish nation didn't have any dark pages in its history which would shame younger generations.
Gul stated that a big tragedy was seen in Eastern Anatolia during the First World War, adding that Muslims as much as Armenians suffered there.
''It is not useful to provoke feelings of revenge and to poison young persons' brains with hatred and resentment feelings. In that respect I invite everybody to look at the future, to search for friendship and love, to curse terrorists and to erase feelings of hatred and hostility from the pages of calendar,'' Gul said.
Commemoration ceremony for diplomats and public officials who were killed by terrorists while working abroad will be held on March 18, due to the new law, as of next year.
A total of 34 Foreign Affairs Ministry staff and their relatives had been martyred as they had been fulfilling their duties abroad since January 27, 1973. Names of these martyrs are as follows:
January 27, 1973 - Consul General Mehmet Baydar and Consul Bahadir Demir in Santa Barbara
October 22, 1975 - Ambassador Danis Tunaligil in Vienna
October 24, 1975 - Ambassador Ismail Erez and his chauffeur Talip Yener in Paris
February 16, 1976 - Chief Secretary Oktar Cirit in Beirut
June 9, 1977 - Ambassador Taha Carim in Vatican
June 2, 1978 - Ambassador's wife Necla Kuneralp and retired Ambassador Besir Balcioglu in Madrid
October 12, 1979 - Ambassador's son Ahmet Benler in the Hague
December 22, 1979 - Tourism Counselor Yilmaz Colpan in Paris
July 31, 1980 - Administrative Attache Galip Ozmen and his daughter Neslihan Ozmen in Athens
December 17, 1980 - Consul General Sarik Ariyak and Security Attache Engin Sever in Sydney
March 4, 1981 - Counselor for Labor Affairs Resat Morali and Counselor for Religious Affairs Tecelli Ari in Paris
June 9, 1981 - Secretary Savas M. Yerguz in Geneva
September 24, 1981 - Security Attache Cemal Ozen in Paris
January 28, 1982 - Consul General Kemal Arikan in Los Angeles
May 4, 1982 - Honorary Consul General Orhan Gunduz in Boston
June 7, 1982 - Administrative Attache Erkut Akbay and his wife Nadide Akbay in Lisbon
August 27, 1982 - Military Attache Colonel Attila Altikat in Ottawa
September 9, 1982 - Administrative Attache Bora Suelkan in Burgas
March 9, 1983 - Ambassador Galip Balkar in Belgrade
July 14, 1983 - Administrative Attache Dursun Aksoy in Brussels
July 27, 1983 - Counselor's wife Cahide Mihcioglu in Lisbon
April 28, 1984 - Secretary's wife Isik Yonder in Tehran
May 20, 1984 - Counselor for Labor Affairs Erdogan Ozen in Vienna
November 19, 1984 - International Officer Enver Ergun in Vienna
October 7, 1991 - Press Deputy Counselor Cetin Gorgu in Athens
December 11, 1993 - Administrative Attache Caglar Yucel in Baghdad
June 4, 1994 - Counselor Haluk Sipahioglu in Athens.
(Öª-AY) 30.05.2003