Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Justice Minister Turk`s Intensive Schedule In Strasbourg
by Anadolu Agency, Ankara, Turkey.
Posted: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 09:11 pm CST

STRASBOURG, Oct 14 (A.A) - Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk who participated in the European Fight Against Racism Conference held within the structure of the Council of Europe (COE), held a series of contacts on Friday.

In his meeting with the Belgium Interior Minister Antoine Duquesne, Turk brought onto agenda the extradition request of Turkey for the terrorist Fehriye Erdal, one of the suspects of Sabanci killing.

If this is not the case, Erdal should be tried in Belgium for the crimes she committed in Turkey, said Turk and requested the Belgian Minister to give permission to the Turkish prosecutors to interrogate Erdal.

Turk also criticized the attitude of Belgium which didn t consider the crime committed by a gun as a terrorist crime as the gun is not considered as an automatic weapon.

Duquesne said that they consider Fehriye Erdal as a person who threatens the public order in Belgium, adding that her custody period continues and they don`t want to give her the right to asylum.

In his meetings with the Italian Justice Minister Pierre Fascino and the U.S. Deputy State Secretary Harold Koh Hangju, Turk explained the uneasiness of Turkey over the resolution on the so-called genocide on Armenians brought to these countries` parliaments.

Italian Justice Minister said that the discussion of the resolution expected to come onto agenda on October 25 has been postponed. The U.S. Deputy State Secretary said in his part that the Clinton administration didn`t approve the resolution.

Turk also held bilateral meetings with the COE Secretary General Walter Scwimmer, the European Court of Human Rights Chairman Luzius Wildhaber, COE`s Rapporteur to Turkey Andreas Barsony, U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson, Ukranian and Azerbaijani justice ministers the same day.

Turk gave detailed information to the judiciary reform in Turkey in his meetings with the COE officials.

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