ANKARA - A group of Turkish Scientific and Cultural Studies Foundation (ILKAV) members held a demonstration on Saturday in Ankara to protest British Prime Minister Tony Blair's scheduled visit to Turkey on May 17.
A group of ILKAV members who came in front of the Koprulu Business Center on Ceyhun Atif Kansu Street where also Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Headquarters is located chanted slogans and unfurled banners which said, ''go away Blair'', ''end friendship with murderers'' and ''you are involved in their crimes if you meet with invader Blair'' and they chanted Allah akbar (God is most great).
Men and women protestors formed separate groups. Speaking on behalf of them, ILKAV Chairman Mehmet Pamak defended that the United States and its allies were trying to use Turkey's power against the Middle Eastern peoples.
''We are asking the AK Party: When will you give up supporting these torturer murderers, and brutal and killer armies, and how and why do you remain silent while the most heinous and disgusting tortures in history of humankind have been committed and honor of humanity has been tested?''
''Save your dignity by at least preventing Bush's and Blair's visits to Turkey, halting your relations with these murderer and torturer countries and canceling the NATO summit scheduled to be held in Istanbul in June,'' he said.
Later, the group dispersed. Police took intense measures before and during the protest.
(MS-UK) 15.05.2004