President Ersin Tatar lays a wreath at the Atatürk Monument in Canberra
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President Ersin Tatar has laid a wreath at the Atatürk Monument in Canberra, the capital of Australia.
Making a statement after laying the wreath at the Atatürk Memorial Garden, President Tatar stated that in 1985, 70 years after the Gallipoli campaign on World War 1, the Government of the Republic of Türkiye had agreed to name a region of the Çanakkale peninsula in the Republic of Türkiye as “Anzac Cove” – where the first Australian and New Zealand troops had landed, on April 25, 1915.
President Tatar said: “As a gesture, the Australian Government in return gave permission for the Atatürk Memorial Garden to opened. This memorial honours the heroism and sacrifices of the Turkish army and the ANZAC forces.”
President Tatar referred to the statement made by Atatürk to the Mothers of ANZAC troops who had not returned to their country following the war, at the ceremony marking the anniversary of March 18 Çanakkale Victory day, where he famously said: “Wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."
The President said that these meaningful words of Atatürk have been commended and has touched the people of Australia.
President Tatar has completed his contacts in Canberra and is continuing onto Sydney.
He is being accompanied by Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal, the Special Advisor to the President on International Relations and Diplomacy and Foreign Press Officer, Kerem Haser.