General Tolon: Those Who Are Not Aware Of The Form Of The 80-year-old Republic Of Turkey, Will Learn It Now

ODEMIS - Aegean Army Commander Gen. Hursit Tolon has said, ''those who are not aware of the state form of the eighty-year-old Republic of Turkey, will learn it now.''
General Tolon and an accompanying delegation paid a visit to Bozcayaka village in Odemis town of western province of Izmir on Saturday under activities to support social development.
When recalled of by a journalist that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had described Turkey as an Islamic state like Pakistan and Afghanistan, General Tolon said, ''those who do not know the state form of the eighty-year-old Republic of Turkey, will learn it now. Turkey is a democratic, secular and social state of law.''
Upon a question about recent developments in Cyprus, General Tolon said, ''now, people will make a decision in the referendum. The agreement is quite comprehensive. Both the Turkish Cypriot side and the Turkish side have been assessing the text composing of nine thousand pages. Following the assessment, the public opinion will be informed. Results of the referendum will also be approved by Turkey. Our parliament will decide on whether or not approving it. It is not appropriate to make a comment without having information on all details.''
''The whole Turkish nation wants the Cyprus negotiation process to result in a lasting and fair agreement providing security of our kinsmen and taking their rights under guarantee. We do not want Cyprus to experience an endless turmoil,'' General Tolon added.
(UK-MS) 03.04.2004