http://www.iranaifc.com/ email: aifc@optonline.net Tel: 914-273-8852 or 917-853-8020
Executive Board:
Ardeshir Ommani
Eleanor Ommani
Kazem Azin
Azita Shafazand
June 7, 2010
Namık TAN
Ambassador, Turkey
2525 Massachusetts Avenue,
N.W Washington, D.C. 20008
Fax: 202-612-6744
Cc: Mehmet Samsar, Consulate General, Turkey
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General, United Nations
Your Excellency, Mr. Tan:
We are writing to express our condolences, salute your Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul and express our outrage at the recent events surrounding the cruel murders by Israeli commandos of nine outstanding Turkish citizens aboard the Mavi Marmara, attempting to bring aid to the impoverished residents of Gaza via the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. We regret and mourn very much the deaths of the Turkish citizens whose brave acts of defending the Palestinians and being willing to help break the siege of Gaza cost them their lives.
Sir, your compatriots who have given everything are now heroes to many, not only in the Muslim world but to Europeans and Americans who hunger for justice and peace in the Middle East. Our organization, the American Iranian Friendship Committee (AIFC), since its founding in 2004, has advocated dialogue, adherence to international treaties and laws and promoted multi-lateral discussion in resolving all international conflicts between nations. We have stated that the Israeli blockade against the people in Gaza is illegal, immoral and inhuman and must be ended. We honor the Turkish people and organizations who work to end the siege of Gaza, and we support Turkey’s efforts and stance at the United Nations and in international institutions calling for Israel to be held accountable to all international treaties and obligations.
On another issue, we are adamantly opposed to war, military invasion and occupation. Thus, we deeply welcomed the efforts of Turkey’s prime minister, Mr. Erdogan, and Brazil’s President Lula De Silva, in acting as a bridge between the P+5 countries and Iran on resolving the nuclear enrichment issue, and on reducing tensions in the Middle East. We applaud such diplomatic efforts as being to the benefit of the people in the Western countries and all the people of that region. We look toward a deepening of ties between the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkey. Our people share many cultural and historical ties.
On behalf of the Executive Committee of the AIFC, we once again express our unity and solidarity with the Turkish people and government.
Ardeshir Ommani, AIFC
Eleanor Ommani, AIFC
Kazem Azin, AIFC
Azita Shafazand, AIFC
Karla Hansen, Iowans For Diplomacy
Prof. Ismael Hossein-zadeh, Ph.D., Drake University
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