SYRIACS THANKS TO ECEVIT

The Syriacs welcomed the circular issued by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit indicating that the Syriacs who have left their villages due to the PKK terrorism or any other reason can return to their places anytime they desire to.

Bedros Karatay, the Chairman of the Paris Syriacs Association, expressed the gratification felt by the Syriacs who have immigrated from the Mardin-Midyat region to France, having refugee status.

Bedros Karatay expressed the following to Mine G. Kirikkanat, an author of the daily Milliyet:

"We welcome the circular issued by Ecevit with gratitude. We are not the enemies of Turkey, we are not separatists, we are not traitors. Turkey is our homeland. We long for our motherland. We are ready to forget the past and the pain. We are ready to represent Turkey the best we could in France." (Milliyet daily, June 17, 2001)