The former Turkish Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit, a prominent leading figure in Turkish politics is being remembered today on the 15th anniversary of his death.
Ecevit who left his mark on Turkish politics is most notably known as the architect of the 1974 Turkish Peace Operation and the capture of the PKK terrorist ringleader Abdullah Öcalan.
The late politician who was serving as Turkey’s prime minister in 1974 had brought peace to the island by carrying out the Turkish Peace Operation with the code name“ Ayşe Tatile Çıksın” (Ayşe should go on holiday) on July 20, 1974.
He will remembered by his famous remarks during the operation: “We going to Cyprus not for war but for peace, not only for Turkish Cypriots but to Greek Cypriots as well.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu issued a statement on Friday to mark the anniversary of the former politician’s death.
Ertuğruloğlu said that Ecevit, in addition to his identity as a politician who left his mark on Turkish democracy, was a journalist, poet and writer.
It added that he had special place in the hearts of the Turkish Cypriot people.
The foreign minister said that the TRNC was remembering the late Turkish politician with respect as well as the late Necmettin Erbakan who had served as Ecevit’s deputy.