Ankara hails Merkel for apology

ANKARA-Hürriyet Daily News

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for apologizing to the relatives of Turks killed by neo-Nazi extremists at a memorial service held in Berlin for the victims.

“It is very significant that the prime minister admitted the mistakes, asked for forgiveness and voiced sensitivity on enlightening the murders,” Bozdağ told Anatolia news agency.

“It is very positive that an apology was extended to the families of the victims. I hope that Merkel’s approach can serve as an example for other politicians,” he said. He also said the murders had not been properly investigated.

Merkel appealed for forgiveness at a memorial service for the 10 murders, among them eight Turks, blamed on a seven-year killing spree by a neo-Nazi gang. She said the killings were “a disgrace for our country” and vowed to do everything possible to shed light on the murders and bring those responsible and their supporters to justice. The victims are believed to have been killed between 2000 and 2007 by a neo-Nazi cell which managed to operate undetected for 11 years.