Charbel Meets Ozeldiz, Vows State Protection to Turkish Citizens
Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Saturday that the Lebanese authorities will protect Turkish nationals and set free a pilot and co-pilot kidnapped by gunmen a day earlier.
“We are protecting Turkish (citizens) in Lebanon in addition to all the people,” Charbel said after welcoming the Turkish Ambassador, Inan Ozeldiz, at his residence in Hazmieh.
Charbel vowed to secure the release of the abducted Turkish Airlines crew members when security forces locate their whereabouts.
“We will bring them when we know where they are,” he said.
“Lebanon rejects kidnappings and the state is exerting all efforts to secure their release,” he added.
The ambassador left without making any statement.
Six gunmen intercepted a van carrying the Turkish Airlines employees from Rafik Hariri International Airport to a hotel in the Ain Mreisseh seafront at dawn Friday, kidnapping the two pilots - Murat Akpinar and Murat Agca - but leaving the four other crew members behind.
The attack prompted Turkey to issue a travel warning urging its citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to Lebanon and those already present in the country to leave.
Charbel telephoned President Michel Suleiman on Saturday to brief him on the result of his meeting with Ozeldiz, who also met with al-Musatqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora.
Saniora hoped that the kidnapping would not affect ties between Lebanon and Turkey.
He condemned the abduction, saying it had bad political and economic repercussions on Lebanon.
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