09 January 2017•Update: 09 January 2017
ANKARA
The memories of Turkey’s martyrs help give its envoys strength to carry out their duties, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a gathering of Turkish diplomats from around the world early Monday.
"We take the example of their patriotism, and we know our task of passing on their valuable memories to future generations," he said at the Foreign Affairs Cemetery in the capital Ankara before the Ambassadors Conference official opening ceremony.
Cavusoglu evoked the heroism of Omer Halisdemir and Fethi Sekin, hailing them as "this country’s greatest treasure."
Sergeant Halisdemir was martyred during the July 2016 coup attempt, while police officer Sekin was martyred last week in clash with PKK terrorists in Izmir; both advanced on terrorists alone with their pistols.
Pointing to the PKK, Daesh, DHKP-C and FETO terrorist organizations, Cavusoglu said, "There is no good terrorist, no bad terrorist,” adding, “We must pursue the fight against terrorism unconditionally."
This year’s Ambassadors Conference, set to last through Jan. 14, has the theme “Towards 2023: National Values and Global Goals," pointing to Turkey’s centennial, said the Foreign Ministry.
The annual conference reviews events relevant to Turkey's foreign policy, discusses current challenges and opportunities, and evaluates the country's priorities.
Turkish ambassadors are also scheduled to visit President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to receive instructions.
Guests at the event include George Vella, the foreign minister of Malta, which just assumed the EU term presidency, as well as Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui, Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini, and Lacy Swing, director general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
From the mid-1970s to mid-‘80s, Turkish ambassadors and diplomats were targeted around the world by the terrorist Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) and similar groups.
To force the Turkish government to recognize the 1915 events, pay reparations, and cede territory to Armenia, ASALA killed a total of 42 Turkish diplomats in nearly 700 attacks.
Reporting by Ecenur Colak and Nazlı Yuzbasioglu; Writing by Ilker Girit
