Turkey widely condemns Russian envoy’s murder, Erdogan calls it a ‘provocation’

Turkish president tells Anadolu Agency Monday’s killing of Russian ambassador designed to hurt ties with Moscow
The shooting dead of the Russian ambassador in Ankara is a provocation designed to destroy Turkish-Russian normalization, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Anadolu Agency late on Monday.

Erdogan “strongly” and “vehemently” condemned the assassination of Andrey Karlov on Monday evening.

“Both Turkey and Russia have the will not to be deceived by this provocation,” Erdogan said.

“I believe this is an attack on Turkey, the Turkish state and the Turkish people, and also a clear provocation to Turkish-Russianrelations. I am sure our Russian friends also see this fact,” he added.

The Turkish leader said he had been closely following the incident from the very beginning, and offered his “deepest condolences to the friendly nation of Russia”.

Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on stronger cooperation to fight terrorism internationally, Erdogan also revealed.

Karlov died after being shot at an art exhibition in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

He had been delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of an art gallery when an assailant opened fire on the diplomat before shooting into the air, according to an Anadolu Agency correspondent who witnessed the incident.

The envoy was seriously wounded and immediately taken to Guven Hospital in the capital’s Cankaya district but later died.

Police special forces neutralized the assailant in an operation that lasted around 15 minutes.

Erdogan confirmed that the assailant was a 22-year-old Turkish riot police officer called Mevlut Mert Altintas.

He said a Turkey-Russia joint commission would be established to investigate the murder.

“All the security measures around the Russian embassy and consulate general have been tightened as we agreed with Mr. Putin,” Erdogan noted.

“Our relations with Russia are significant,” he said. “I am calling on those who aim to destroy our relations: You are waiting in vain. You will never reach your goals.”

Russian envoy‘s murder no coincidence, says Turkish PM

Turkey’s Prime Minister said Monday’s terror attack on Russian ambassador came in a period when the two countries were closely working to find solutions to the regional problems including Syria.

“It is certainly not a coincidence,” Binali Yildirim told reporters in Istanbul late Monday following the assassination of Moscow’s ambassador in Ankara Andrey Karlov.

Turkey shares Russian people’s pain, said Yildirim as he expressed his condolences.

Yildirim praised the efforts of Karlov, who he said served a lot to improve the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Russian envoy was shot dead on Monday evening as he attended the opening ceremony of an art gallery in capital Ankara.

The exhibition was about the history, the present day, and the future of Turkey-Russia relations, Yildirim said, adding:

“It was an important social activity which would contribute to Turkey-Russia relations.”

The ambassador was delivering a speech when the assailant opened fire on the diplomat before shooting into the air, according to an Anadolu Agency correspondent who witnessed the incident.

The envoy was seriously wounded and immediately taken to Guven Hospital in the capital’s Cankaya district, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police special forces neutralized the assailant in an operation that lasted around 15 minutes.

“Terror is a global threat,” Yildirim stressed. “Common attitude towards terrorism, common fight, regional and global cooperation are inevitable.”

Turkish premier also said he talked over the phone with his Russiancounterpart Dmitry Medvedev.

“We reached consensus that this incident would not destroy our relations,” Yildirim added.

 Turkish foreign minister says attack targeted not only envoy, but Turkey-Russia ties vital to region

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Monday the attack that killed Russia’s envoy to Ankara, Andrey Karlov, would not harm Turkish and Russian relations.

“It is known how important the relations with Russia are for the region and not only for two countries,” Cavusoglu said. “Especially the recent evacuation of innocent civilians from Aleppo and efforts for a permanent cease-fire and a political solution was recognized by whole world,” he told reporters shortly after his plane landed in Moscow for trilateral meetings with Russia and Iran regarding Syria.

Cavusoglu said Turkey appreciated Russia’s recent position on the situation in Syria and thanked Karlov for his efforts to strengthen relations even in the hardest times since he became ambassador to Turkey in 2013.

While condemning the attack Cavusoglu said it not only targeted Karlov, but also Russia, Turkey and bilateral relations between the two countries, which recently began to normalize.

Cavusoglu said both nations and their people knew the aim behind the attack but it would not harm relations.

He said a joint investigation team would reveal the motive and punish responsible parties within the framework of the law and the attack would strengthen cooperation between Turkey and Russia to counter terrorism.

After the news briefing, Cavusoglu called his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, and conveyed similar sentiments.

Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke via telephone and both leaders described the act as “provocation” to undermine relations Turkey and Russia carry in Syria.

Cavusoglu’s comments come hours after Karlov was shot multiple times Monday evening at an art exhibition in Ankara.

 

Karlov was born in Moscow in 1954 and was a graduate of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Ee was an experienced diplomat, serving in many positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the former Soviet Union and Russia.

Turkish officials condemn attack on Russian envoy
Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman also condemned the attack with a statement.

“I wish that relations between the two countries will not be harmed after the attack which, I think, has been conducted by dark forces,” said Kahraman, extending his condolences to Russia and Karlov’s family.

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has also condemned the attack.

“I extend my condolences to Ambassador Andrey Karlov’s family, who we have lost after a malicious assassination, and to the friendly Russian nation,” Kilicdaroglu tweeted.

Former President Abdullah Gul said the attack targeted not only the envoy but Turkish-Russian friendship.

“The prime target of this attack was not Ambassador Karlov but Turkish-Russian friendship,” Gul said on Twitter.

Minister for EU Affairs Omer Celik extended his condolences to Russia via his Twitter account. “We lost a very distinguished diplomat, who worked for improving bilateral relations, by an attack targeted Turkish-Russian relations.

“This is not only Russian people’s sorrow but also ours. Turkish and Russian peoples lost a common value,” he said.

Celik also wrote that Turkey and Russia were united in a common sense against the attack aimed at fomenting chaos. “Commonsense is the clearest response.”

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik, Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek also condemned the attack after visiting the murder scene in Ankara.

Turkey’s presidential spokesman also condemned the attack on his official Twitter account.

“We strongly condemn the assassination of Russian Amb Karlov. Our condolences. This is an open provocation against Turkish-Russian relations,” wrote Ibrahim Kalin.

“They will not be able to succeed,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mustafa Destici, head of Turkey’s Grand Unity Party (BBP) said such bloody terrorist attacks would not be a solution for Aleppo or other regions and they “may have more severe consequences”.

The attack was aimed at destroying Turkey’s prestige, security and its relations with Russia, he said. “I am deeply saddened by the fact that the Russian Ambassador has lost his life and that such an attack has occurred in our country. I wish to express my condolences to the ambassador’s family and the Russian people.

“I hope that this bloody attack will not harm ties between Russia-Turkey and the two nations and common sense will prevail.”

Also, Yasin Aktay, the vice chair of the ruling Justice and Development (AK Party) in Turkey, strongly condemned the assassination. “The purpose of this attack is so clear on the eve of Turkey-Iran-Russia meeting,” Aktay said in a tweet, adding that “The terrorist attack against tha Russian ambassador doesn’t relieve the pain or solve the problems of the oppressed in Aleppo; it only flares up instigation fire. Yasin Aktay concluded his tweets by expressing his condemnation of the terrorist attack, saying, “We condemn the terrorist attack against Russian Ambassador in Ankara, for whatever reason it is.”

Turkish opposition leader condemns envoy’s murder

Turkey’s opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader said he “strongly condemns” Monday’s assassination of Moscow’s ambassador in Ankara, Andrey Karlov.

Devlet Bahceli offered his condolences to the Russian people and state. In a statement, he added: “No reason, no excuse could justify the assassination of a foreign envoy who is entrusted to Turkey.”

 

Bahceli called the assassination “a terrorist attack” and said it was noteworthy that it was carried out by a police officer.

He called for “common sense, patience, and respect to mutual interests,” and said the perpetrators of the assassination “have to be brought to light”.

“I believe that the bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia are so deep-rooted that they cannot be made a victim of terrorism,” Bahceli added.

Pointing to “the hard days” that Turkey has been experiencing, Bahceli added: “All the terrorist attacks, assassinations, social disorder, political or economic crises serve the aim of destroying Turkey’s prestige and credibility.”

“Turkey has the power to get over these hard days despite all the hostile incidents,” he added.