Washington
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said that holding demonstrations without resorting to violence was one of the fundamental rights, but if there was violence, taking the necessary precautions to prevent innocent citizens being harmed was the task of the government.
Attending the 32nd annual Conference on US-Turkish relations organized by the American Turkish Council, Babacan said "Turkey has gone through a political, social and economic process for ten years. Today, Turkey is a country where there is a more functional democratic system and supremacy of law compared to 10 years ago."
"We have done a lot but we also know that there's a whole lot more work to be done" Babacan said, and added, "We have to be extremely careful in evaluating the recent events in Turkey. To demonstrate without resorting to violence is one of the fundamental rights, but if there is violence, taking the necessary precautions to prevent innocent citizens being harmed is the task of the government."
Stating that the current situation in Syria was crucial, the Deputy Prime Minister said "The ongoing civil war in Syria may cause tension in the region,unstability in Jordan and division in Lebanon. We should continue our determination to end this crisis."
Babacan emphasized that it was necessary to create a national consensus for the peace process in Palestine and said, "Any kind of tension should be prevented. The ceasefire must be respected."
