ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said, ''this morning's Israeli air strike which resulted in killing of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin, is an action to incite enmities. Neither peace nor co-existence can be provided this way.''
Replying to questions of journalists about killing of Sheik Ahmed Yassin, Gul said, ''the attack came in an atmosphere where everyone should act calmly. It is a jeopardy that will further incite enmities.''
When asked whether or not he had a message to Israel, Gul said, ''our message is clear: Neither peace nor co-existence can be provided this way.''
Emphasizing that Turkey condemned acts of terrorism whatever its motives were, Gul said, ''suicide attacks cannot be explained anyway. However, we are concerned that today's event can bring forth a dangerous escalation.''
''Today's attack was staged without feeling its responsibilities. We cannot fight against terrorism like this. I hope that this event playing havoc with peace will not further escalate tension,'' he added.
ERDOGAN: KILLING OF HAMAS LEADER SHEIK AHMED YASSIN IS NOT A POSITIVE STEP FOR PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
KONYA - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that killing of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin was not a positive step for Palestinian-Israeli relations.
When asked about his evaluations regarding killing of Hamas leader, Erdogan said, ''this is not a positive step for Palestinian-Israeli relations and the developments in the Middle East.''
Erdogan said he evaluated the incident as a development which would escalate tension.
PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC: ''KILLING OF SHEIK AHMED YASSIN WILL NOT HELP EFFORTS TO PROVIDE PEACE IN THE REGION''
ANKARA - Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc has said about killing of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin in an Israeli air strike, ''this action will not help efforts to provide peace in the region suffering from bloodshed for years. On the contrary, it will whip up terrorism, and lead more acts of violence.''
Replying questions of A.A correspondent, Arinc expressed his personal sorrow over killing of Sheik Ahmed Yassin.
''My sorrow has two reasons: First of all, Sheik Ahmed Yassin was left a quadriplegic due to a childhood accident. He was not leader of the Hamas. We can say that he was leading the Hamas in religious aspects. However, he was lack of any movement capacity due to his position, health and capabilities. Killing of him in such an action was extremely wrongful. Secondly, killing of Sheik Ahmed Yassin will not help efforts to provide peace in the region suffering from bloodshed for years. On the contrary, his killing will whip up terrorism, and lead more acts of violence. We want peace and tranquillity to prevail in the region. We do not want women, children and innocent people in the region to shed more tears,'' he stressed.
Recalling that Turkey had been supporting the road map envisaging to provide peace in the region, Arinc said, ''as Turkey, we pledged to do our utmost to assist the sides. However, such actions will prevent mutual negotiations and strew the seeds of hatred and enmity. It is an action dynamiting peace and disappointing people who have longed for peace and happiness. I believe that such actions would not yield any positive results whatever their motives are.''
A GROUP OF PEOPLE PROTESTS KILLING OF HAMAS LEADER SHEIK AHMED YASSIN
ANKARA - A group of people gathered in front of the Israeli Embassy in Ankara on Monday and protested killing of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin.
Members of the Scientific and Cultural Studies Foundation, the Ozgur-Der (Freedom Association) and the Genc Birikim (Young Accumulation) Magazine, who gathered in front of the embassy building, chanted slogans against Israel.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mehmet Pamak said that they condemned killing of Sheik Ahmed Yassin.
''Although a childhood accident left him a quadriplegic, Sheik Ahmed Yassin devoted his entire life to the struggle for salvation of Palestine. Sheik Ahmed Yassin was the founder and spiritual leader of Hamas. Israeli attacks targeting Palestine cannot prevent our struggle for rights and freedoms,'' he said.
Pamak added, ''the Greater Middle East Initiative of the United States will give rise to new Palestinians, new homicides and new massacres everywhere in the region. This project means nothing but a betrayal to the Islam and regional peoples. We consider holding NATO Summit in Istanbul, the Turkey leg of the project, an attack and insult against Muslim peoples and all humanity.''
Chanting Allah akbar (God is great) and slogans against Israel, the group dispersed peacefully following the press release.
Israeli helicopters fired missiles at car of Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the founder and spiritual leader of the Hamas, as it left his house for a mosque at daybreak Monday. The wheelchair-bound Hamas leader was killed in the air strike.
(UK-AÖ) 22.03.2004