Turkey: Unilateral committee can not probe Israeli terrorism

Turkey's State Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, who is also the spokesman of the government, said Turkey would not be satisfied with a committee set up unilaterally by Israel.

"The committee should be unbiased, and every one should reveal his/her views and show his/her evidence in this committee set up by the United Nations (EU) Secretary General," Cicek told reporters after the cabinet meeting in Ankara.

Cicek defined the issue as one between Israel and international law, not as one between Turkey and Israel since the incident occurred in international waters.

The minister said it was a civilian initiative launched by people of different status from 32 countries.

"It is a terrorism conducted by a state, and state piracy," he said.

Cicek said Turkey wanted an unbiased committee to be set up as soon as possible to investigate the incident.

The Turkish minister asked all other countries, including the United States which lost one of its citizens in the attack on the aid flotilla, to be in solidarity and take joint action against the injustice.

Nine people, including eight Turkish and one U.S. citizen of Turkish descent, died when Israeli forces raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on May 31. Around 30 people were wounded in the attack.


/World Bulletin/