Erdogan offers condolences over Italy earthquake

By Andac Hongur

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan telephoned Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Friday to pass on his condolences following the deadly earthquake in central Italy, a presidential official said.

Erdogan said he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and that Turkey, which shared the pain of the Italian people, was ready to offer support.

Wednesday’s 6.2-magnitude earthquake killed 278 when it hit the northern Lazio region.

Mattarella thanked Erdogan and expressed his condolences for the families of the 240 victims of July 15 coup attempt. He said Italy welcomed the defeat of the coup and underlined the importance of protecting democracy. He also expressed support for Turkey’s EU membership bid.

The leaders also discussed the third bridge spanning Istanbul’s Bosphorus, which opened Friday. The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge was built by a Turkish-Italian consortium.