ANKARA
Turkey has strongly condemned the murder of a 20-year-old female university student in the southern province of Mersin, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Addressing a weekly briefing in Ankara, spokesman Tanju Bilgic "vehemently" condemned the brutal killing of Ozgecan Aslan.
Aslan was killed and her body burned after reportedly resisting a sexual assault in Mersin's Tarsus district on February 13.
"I am conveying my condolences to the family of Ozgecan, who was killed by brutal people," Bilgic said.
He hoped that the perpetrators of the crime will face the severest punishment.
Bilgic also said Turkey will continue to fight violence against women.
Withdrawal of protocols by Armenia
Regarding the withdrawal of protocols by Armenia, Bilgic said "This is actually a wrong and unfortunate step for us."
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced Monday his decision to withdraw from parliament Armenian-Turkish protocols aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.
The two protocols – “Protocol on Establishment of Diplomatic Relations ” and “Protocol on Development of Relations” – were signed on Oct. 10, 2009, as a result of a landmark negotiation process facilitated by Switzerland. The protocols had remained suspended in the Armenian parliament since 2010.
Bilgic said ratification of these protocols would not mean only normalizing relations between the two countries, but would also create a comprehensive and sustainable peace in the Caucasus region.
He added that Turkey will continue with its commitment to the regional normalization process.
The killing of three Muslim-Americans
When Bilgic was asked about the U.S. State Department’s rejection of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's criticisms over the killing of three young Muslims in North Carolina last week, Bilgic said: "Our president rightly questioned why they remained silent to these attacks."
Erdogan had urged U.S. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry to take a firm stand against the shooting dead of three Muslims, who were killed at a residential complex at North Carolina State University.
The three victims from the same family, with two being newlyweds, were shot dead by a neighbor on Feb. 13.
After 72 hours, Obama condemned the “brutal and outrageous murders.”
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki rejected Erdogan's criticisms saying: “I don't think anyone should question how much as a human being the Secretary (Kerry) or anyone in this building who sees these reports and feels for the families and the entire community.”
"Instead of criticizing our president's statements, more sincere and rapid responses to such incidents in their country would naturally avoid these kinds of debates," Bilgic said.
Training and equipping of Iraqi peshmerga forces
Bilgic said Turkey and the U.S. will soon sign a memorandum of understanding on a "training and equipment program" for Iraqi peshmerga forces in their fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
"Within the framework … we have provided the peshmerga yesterday (Feb.16) with some military equipment. But this is not war equipment. This contains logistical materials like binoculars, camouflage, and tents," Bilgic said.
Iraqi peshmerga forces, as well as other Kurdish fighters, the Free Syrian army and the U.S.-led international coalition have all been battling ISIL through ground and air campaigns.
