ANKARA - August 30 Victory Day is celebrated throughout Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Saturday.
The first ceremony took place at Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of modern and secular Republic of Turkey.
General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok; Land Forces Commander General Aytac Yalman; Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ozden Ornek; Air Forces Commander General Ibrahim Firtina; Gendarmerie Forces Commander General Sener Eruygur; National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Gen. Sukru Sariisik; General Staff Deputy Chief General Ilker Basbug; Land Forces Command Staff Chairman General Fethi Remzi Tuncel and other high-ranking military officials paid a visit to the mausoleum of Ataturk to mark August 30 Victory Day.
General Ozkok laid a wreath of red and white carnations on the mausoleum, and observed a minute of silence out of respect to Great Leader Ataturk.
Later, he signed the special book of the mausoleum, saying,
''Great leader and great statesman Ataturk,
Today, we are pleased with being before your presence at the 81st anniversary of our great victory.
This victory is a great work of Turkish nation and Turkish army with the spirit of national unity under your command and also an example for other nations' struggle for freedom.
The Turkish Armed Forces has determination to protect this beautiful country, secular and democratic Republic regime and prosperity of Turkish nation against internal and external enemies by walking on the way of targets that you showed us.''
August 30 Victory Day is also celebrated in Istanbul. The first ceremony in Istanbul took place in front of Republic Monument in Taksim district.
Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler, First Army Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and Istanbul Acting Mayor Umit Ozerol laid a wreath on the monument.
OZKOK ISSUES MESSAGE ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF AUGUST 30 VICTORY DAY
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said on Saturday that Turkish Republic, which is located in one of the most sensitive regions of the world, became an example country with its secular and democratic structure, and was an element of permanent force and stability in its region due to its geopolitical position, and its strong armed forces.
Chief of General Staff Gen. Ozkok issued a message on the anniversary of August 30 Victory Day.
Gen. Ozkok in the message said they were proudly celebrating the 81st anniversary of August 30 Victory Day, which constituted one of the turning points of Turkish nation's fight for existence after getting rid of the ashes of an empire.
Gen. Ozkok said recent developments happening in the world, the initiatives to take energy resources under control, the ethnical and fundamentalist movements, and the international terrorism atmosphere which appeared as a result of this, and on the other side the fundamentalist and separatist movements which accelerated in Turkey laid new and difficult assignments on Turkish Armed Forces.
Gen. Ozkok said, ''at a time when we celebrate 81st anniversary of Victory Day, the valuable members of Turkish Armed Forces should act under the leadership of principles and reforms of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, be loyal to the fundamental qualities of the republic, should cover changing concepts and technologies in the world, and should continue with determination to fight against internal and external risks and threats.''
(AY) 30.08.2003