Berkin Elvan's death is Turkey’s internal affair, does not involve UN: FM

Razı CANIKLIGİL HÜRRİYET / NEW YORK

Ahmet Davutoğlu speaks with reporters after meeting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the UN headquarters in New York, March 11. AA photo

Berkin Elvan's death is Turkey’s internal affair and the issue was not discussed during a meeting with the U.N. chief, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said March 11.

Davutoğlu met with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the U.N. headquarters in New York and discussed the Ukrainian and Syrian crises and the Cyprus reunification talks.

When asked if the issue of Elvan’s death came up during the discussion, Davutoğlu said it was out of the question. “Such an issue cannot come on the agenda. This is an incident inside Turkey, an issue about which we talk among ourselves. This issue does not involve the U.N. chief,” daily Hürriyet quoted him as saying.

The top diplomat offered his condolences to Elvan’s family. “Every citizen’s life is valuable to us. This loss saddened us all. We hope such incidents won’t happen in the future,” he told reporters.

Elvan, who had been in a coma since June 2013 after being struck in the head by a gas canister during a police crackdown on protesters, died early on March 11.