Bulgarian President Plevneliev condemns murder of Russian ambassador to Turkey
Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev strongly condemns the terrorist attack and murder of the Russian ambassador in Ankara, Andrey Karlov, the President’s office said on December 19.
Plevneliev said that there was no legitimate cause that justifies radicalism and killing people and such attacks must meet categorical opposition from the democratic community.
The Bulgarian President said that he was seriously concerned by the latest manifestation of terror and loss of life in the neighbouring country.
Replacement of talk by violence was no solution and could not lead to anything good, Plevneliev said.
Plevneliev expressed his condolences to the family of ambassador Andrey Karlov, the President’s office said.
In separate subsequent statements, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov added their condemnation of the murder of Karlov and expressed condolences.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, in a message to Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, said that she had been deeply shocked to hear of the “inconceivable attack” on Karlov.
“Our fullest sympathies are with his family, all his colleagues, and the Russian authorities. The European Union condemns in the strongest possible manner this attack against your country’s representative in Turkey. We wish to express our solidarity with Russia in the face of this criminal act of violence,” Mogherini said.
United States secretary of state John Kerry said that the US condemned the assassination of Karlov.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones, the Russian people, and with the other victims who were injured in this shooting,” Kerry said.
“We stand ready to offer assistance to Russia and Turkey as they investigate this despicable attack, which was also an assault on the right of all diplomats to safely and securely advance and represent their nations around the world,” he said.
Russia’s foreign ministry described the killing of Karlov as a terrorist act.
The Turkish foreign ministry said: “We will not allow this attack to cast a shadow on Turkey-Russia relations”.
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan briefed Russian president Vladimir Putin about the incident by phone, a Turkish official said, VOA reported.
/Politics
