Karlov’s murder being examined meticulously: Turkish deputy PM

ANKARA

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The killing of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov is “being examined meticulously,” Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş has said, adding that “initial information” had been reached regarding the assassin, Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş.

“The incident is being examined meticulously. The ones behind the murder and their connections are being focused on,” Kurtulmuş said, characterizing the killing as an “open provocation.”

“It’s obvious that it’s a loud and clear provocation. We will take precautions against it,” he added.  

“We’ve reached initial information at this stage. But I think it’s not right to share it with the public until it’s all clear. We’ll share it when definite information is reached,” he said. 

Kurtulmuş also said Turkey would not hesitate from taking “new peaceful steps” in its foreign policy. 

“We will never back down from our determination to take new peaceful steps in Turkey’s foreign policy, especially in the context of developing Turkey-Russia relations. We hope that these attacks will not negatively affect mutual relations,” he said. 

During his speech, Kurtulmuş said the attack was conducted in order to harm Turkish-Russian relations.

“In this period in which problems are being solved with intense bilateral meetings, the fact that the Russian ambassador to Turkey was killed here is an attack carried out to destroy Russian-Turkish relations,” he added.  
Karlov was assassinated at an art exhibition in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Dec. 19.

Karlov was shot with a gun while making a speech at a photography exhibition in the Turkish capital, the Russian Embassy said, adding that it believed that it was a radical Islamist attack.