ANKARA/KABUL - Turkey's Ambassador in Kabul Mufit Ozdes said on Tuesday that release of kidnapped Turkish engineer Hasan Onal showed how much Turkey was important in Eurasia.
Ozdes explained developments regarding release of Onal, who was kidnapped by Taliban by thinking he was American in a region where its security was restored by the United States. He said that Onal's release showed how much Turkey was important in a large part of Eurasia and how much it was indispensable for peace in this region.
Noting that Onal was released safely from a region where nobody could reach, Ozdes said that the first duty of the state was to protect its citizens and Turkish state fulfilled this duty by saving Onal.
Ozdes said that it was revealed how big Turkey's esteem was in the region with the release of Onal and added that people who were kidnapped by Taliban were rarely released alive.
Onal had said yesterday that when those who had kidnapped him learned he was Turkish and Muslim, they had treated very well to him. He had noted that when the old people learned he was Turkish, they told him that they knew Ataturk and Turkey very well and they loved Turkey and Turkish people very much.
(GC-BRC) 02.12.2003