ANKARA/ISTANBUL/IZMIR - Members of the Labor Party (IP) and the Grand Unity Party (BBP) held demonstrations on Saturday to protest detention of 11 Turkish soldiers by U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq.
First demonstration took place in front of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara.
Speaking at the demonstration, IP leader Dogu Perincek said, ''it is an action against Turkish nation and Turkish army. Eleven Turkish officers and non-commissioned officers were taken hostage by U.S. soldiers. Turkey came face to face both in northern Iraq and Cyprus. Besides Syria and Iran, Turkey became the target of the United States in the region. In return for this event, eleven U.S. high-ranking soldiers in Ankara should be detained till our soldiers are released.''
The other demonstration took place in front of the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul. Members of the IP and the BBP laid a black wreath in front of the consulate building in order to protest the event.
In western province of Izmir, IP and BBP members held a demonstration in front of Provincial Directorate of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and chanted slogans against the United States.
(UK-MS) 05.07.2003