Turkish Ambassador to Libya back at home

04 May 2011 Wednesday

Turkey's ambassador in Libya returned to Istanbul on Tuesday, one day after Turkish government announced that it temporarily closed its embassy in Tripoli.

Ambassador Salim Levent Sahinkaya and a 12-man embassy staff arrived in Istanbul after a flight from Tunisia. First group of embassy personnel had returned to Turkey last week.

Ambassador Sahinkaya said security risks had increased recently in Libya because of international military operation in Libya and the rise of armed people in streets of Tripoli, Benghazi and Misrata.

He said Turkey's policy on Libya insists on stopping bloodshed and restoring peace through dialogue.

Earlier in the day, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to immediately step down "for the sake of his country's future."

"Gaddafi has ignored calls for change in Libya and instead preferred blood, tears and pressure against his own people," Erdogan told a news conference in Istanbul. "We wish that the Libyan leader immediately withdraw from the administration and leave Libya for his own sake and the sake of his country's future without leading to further destruction."

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=73302.