MALATYA - Italy's top diplomat in Ankara said Monday that Italy is on Turkey and the Turkish nation's side in the fight against PKK.
Ambassador Carlo Marsili and his spouse Selva Balkan Marsili paid a visit of courtesy to the Governor of south-eastern province of Malatya Halil Ibrahim Dasoz on Monday.
Governor Dasoz informed Ambassador Marsili about excavation works conducted by Italians at Malatya's Aslantepe Mound.
"The Italian excavation team established good dialog with the natives," Dasoz said.
Ambassador Marsili thanked Governor Dasoz for the warm welcome he received in Malatya and reminded Dasoz that Mrs. Selva Marsili was born in Dogansehir town of Malatya.
"One of the reasons for my current visit is about meeting with the Italians conducting excavations at Aslantepe Mound," Ambassador Marsili said.
Asked by a journalist about what he thinks on the recent attack staged by PKK terrorists on a Turkish military outpost in south-eastern province of Hakkari in which 15 soldiers were killed, Ambassador Marsili said that "as of the first moment that I have learned about this incident, I have conveyed my feelings of sorrow. I issued messages indicating my presence on the side of the Turkish people. Abdullah Ocalan was arrested at the airport upon his arrival in Italy. We (as Italy) think that Ocalan is one of the worst terrorists. The Italian government has nothing to do with either Ocalan or terrorism. Our warm relations with Turkey show our stance on terror. We are on Turkey's side in its fight against PKK."
Ambassador Marsili later paid a visit of courtesy to Malatya Mayor Cemal Akin.
(SOL-AÖ)
(DIP)