Latest news with #Ersoy
Observer
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Ancient statue returns to Turkey 65 years later
Turkey has repatriated an ancient statue believed to depict Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius from the United States as part of efforts to recover antiquities illegally removed from the country, the government announced on Saturday. The bronze statue, smuggled from the ancient city of Boubon -- now the province of Burdur in southwest Turkey -- in the 1960s, was returned to Turkey after 65 years, according to Turkish officials. "It was a long struggle. We were right, we were determined, we were patient, and we won," Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy said. "We brought the 'Philosopher Emperor' Marcus Aurelius back to the land where he belongs," he added. This unique artefact, once exhibited in the United States, was repatriated to Turkey based on scientific analyses, archival documents and witness statements, added the minister. "Through the combined power of diplomacy, law, and science, the process we conducted with the New York Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the US Homeland Security Investigations Unit is more than just a repatriation; it is a historical achievement," Ersoy said. "Marcus Aurelius's return to our country is a concrete result of our years-long pursuit of justice." The headless statue had been on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art from April to July, before its return to Turkey. Ersoy said Turkey was determined to protect all its cultural heritage that has been smuggled out. "We will soon present the Philosopher Emperor to the people of (Turkey's capital) Ankara in a surprise exhibition," he announced. —AFP
Ammon
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Ammon
Ancient statue returns to Turkey from US 65 years later
Ammon News - Turkey has repatriated an ancient statue believed to depict Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius from the United States as part of efforts to recover antiquities illegally removed from the country, the government announced on Saturday. The bronze statue, smuggled from the ancient city of Boubon now the province of Burdur in southwest Turkey in the 1960s, was returned to Turkey after 65 years, according to Turkish officials. 'It was a long struggle. We were right, we were determined, we were patient, and we won,' Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy said. 'We brought the 'Philosopher Emperor' Marcus Aurelius back to the land where he belongs,' he added. This unique artefact, once exhibited in the United States, was repatriated to Turkey based on scientific analyses, archival documents and witness statements, added the minister. 'Through the combined power of diplomacy, law, and science, the process we conducted with the New York Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the US Homeland Security Investigations Unit is more than just a repatriation; it is a historical achievement,' Ersoy said. 'Marcus Aurelius's return to our country is a concrete result of our years-long pursuit of justice.' The headless statue had been on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art from April to July, before its return to Turkey. Ersoy said Turkey was determined to protect all its cultural heritage that has been smuggled out.
Rudaw Net
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Parents of fighters embrace peace as PKK burns weapons
Also in Kurdistan Masoud Barzani indicates willing to visit Abdullah Ocalan PKK disarmament was 'very emotional,' says DEM Party MP PUK leader Talabani says PKK disarmament is 'historic step' PUK leader Talabani says PKK disarmament is 'historic step' A+ A- DUKAN, Kurdistan Region - Gulbahar Ersoy* sat quietly in the crowd gathered outside a hotel in Kurdistan Region's Sulaimani province where dozens of politicians, activists, and journalists had assembled to witness a historic event - the first group of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters laying down their arms. The temperature hovered around 45 degrees Celsius, but Ersoy's mind was elsewhere: on her son, who had spent years in the mountains as a fighter. 'We just want peace,' she said. Thirty PKK fighters, including several commanders, burned their weapons during a historic ceremony at the entrance of Jasana Cave, located approximately 50 kilometers northwest of Sulaimani city. The event was attended by many parents and relatives of PKK fighters who are still in the mountains. Ahead of the ceremony, near Ashur Hotel in Dukan district, journalists rushed to the mothers of PKK fighters. The words 'peace' and 'hope' dominated their remarks. Ersoy was one of them. She had arrived in the Kurdistan Region just a day earlier, crossing the border at Ibrahim Khalil on Thursday, and was exhausted. 'All we want is peace and we hope that it prevails,' the Kurdish mother said. She had not seen her son for many years. The future of thousands of PKK fighters who have waged a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state remains uncertain. While an amnesty is not out of the question, no official plan has been announced. Still, Ersoy said that her hope goes beyond her son's freedom - she wants peace for everyone in Turkey. The PKK was formed by Abdullah Ocalan in 1978 and the party launched an armed struggle against Ankara several years later. More than 40 years of war have claimed the lives of at least 40,000 people, including civilians. On February 27, Ocalan made a historic appeal to his followers from jail, urging them to dissolve the PKK and abandon armed struggle in favor of politics. The group formally endorsed the shift during a party congress in May. Ocalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999, released his first video message on Wednesday, in which he reiterated his determination to end the armed struggle. Friday's ceremony was largely symbolic, intended to help pave the way for the next phase of the peace process amid Turkish government demands for tangible actions from the PKK. Now, the group is looking to Ankara for a reciprocal response. Chief among its demands is the release of Ocalan. "If Turkey takes concrete steps, enacts laws and implements radical legal reforms… we will go to Turkey and engage in politics. If there is no legal constitutional arrangements, we will either end up in prison or being killed,' Bese Hozat, co-chair of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella group that includes the PKK, told AFP. Hozat, whose real name is Hulya Oran, was born in Turkey's Dersim in the same year the PKK was founded. In 1994, she joined the PKK and was elected co-chair of the KCK in 2013. Soon after Hozat assumed the new role, her mother made a public call on her daughter to bring peace. 'I have not seen my daughter for 19 to 20 years. I have been burning with longing for her for years. I long for her. She is my one and only. She is my source of joy. If this peace comes and I'm reunited with my daughter, I will sacrifice seven animals. I have promised this for years,' the then-80-year-old Geyik Oran told Turkish media. Hozat was one of those who gave up her weapon on Friday. Hatice Ezer is another Kurdish mother. She came from Diyarbakir (Amed). 'We have come for peace and justice,' she told Rudaw. 'We want Kurds and Turks to be like siblings. No more bloodshed, no more tears from mothers' eyes.' She said that their group did not stop to rest while traveling from Diyarbakir to the Kurdistan Region because of their eagerness to see peace. A Yazidi mother also came to Dukan to attend the ceremony. She told Rudaw that one of her sons is a PKK fighter. 'I have not seen him for six years. I want him to return home,' An'am Batkal said, asking for a guarantee that her son will be free when he lays down arms. 'Bloodshed cannot resolve any issue, only peace does.' The disarmament process was welcomed by Turkish and Kurdish officials and politicians. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called it an 'important step' in the ongoing peace talks with the PKK. Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the main mediator of the talks, held new meetings with Turkish officials and politicians, including Erdogan, days before the Friday ceremony. The DEM Party has stepped up efforts to create a legal framework for the peace talks by taking it to the parliament. A commission is expected to be formed from the main parties in the legislature. Most lawmakers seem to endorse the initiative. Issa Guzel is an elderly Kurdish man. He came to Sulaimani from Diyarbakir. He echoed the peaceful calls of Kurdish mothers sitting only a few meters away from him. Guzel told Rudaw that one of his brothers had been killed after joining the PKK and one of his nephews, who also joined the group, remains unaccounted for. 'I have come here for peace,' he said. 'This process means a lot for us, especially for the families of the martyrs.' *Gulbahar Ersoy is not her real name, which has been withheld at her request. Peshawa Bakhtiyar contributed to this article.
New York Post
08-07-2025
- New York Post
Archeologists discover ancient treasures in 2,000-year-old shipwreck
A 2,000-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Turkey has yielded hundreds of well-preserved ceramics, offering a fascinating glimpse into ancient maritime trade. The shipwreck site dubbed the Ceramic Wreck dates back to the Late Hellenistic and Early Roman periods of the country's history. Advertisement The site dates back between the second century B.C. and the first century A.D. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the discovery in a press release on June 28. The wreck is located some 150 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, near the coast of Turkey's Antalya Province. Underwater archaeologists uncovered hundreds of ancient ceramics at the site, ranging from plates to bowls. Advertisement Pictures from the site show excavators marveling at the earthenware. Though chipped, many of the plates and bowls still retained much of their original appearance, experts said. In a unique twist, the dive featured the Turkish cultural minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, who joined archaeologists to examine the 'groundbreaking discovery.' 4 A 2,000-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Turkey has yielded hundreds of well-preserved ceramics, offering a fascinating glimpse into ancient maritime trade. Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Turkey) Advertisement 4 Underwater archaeologists uncovered hundreds of ancient ceramics at the site, ranging from plates to bowls. Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Turkey) 'This extraordinary discovery, with its unparalleled preservation, came to light through a special dive conducted by Minister Ersoy,' the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said in a statement translated from Turkish to English. 'Minister Ersoy shared with the public his comprehensive evaluations [of] the excavation site, discussing both the current state of underwater archaeology and the scientific and touristic impacts of this discovery.' How did the artifacts survive the centuries? Advertisement Officials said it was thanks to the ancient people who carefully packed them. 'We discovered hundreds of plates, trays, and bowls, coated with raw clay and nested together to protect them during transport,' Ersoy said. He added, 'As a result, the designs of the ceramics have reached us almost intact. This is an extremely valuable discovery not only for our country but also for the world's cultural heritage.' The plates and bowls also maintained their original deep red colors, making the discovery particularly special. 'The plates and bowls have reached us with their original colors and surface features exceptionally preserved,' Ersoy said. 'These provide valuable data in terms of production and packaging techniques.' The minister also noted there are at least 400 shipwrecks along the section of Turkey's coast from Patara to Mersin. Advertisement 'Our professors are working intensively and diligently in these areas,' the official said. 'These discoveries offer great opportunities not only scientifically but also in terms of tourism.' 4 'We discovered hundreds of plates, trays, and bowls, coated with raw clay and nested together to protect them during transport,' Turkish cultural minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said. Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Turkey) 4 The wreck is located some 150 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, near the coast of Turkey's Antalya Province. Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Turkey) This recent discovery adds to a growing number of shipwreck finds across the world. Advertisement In June, French officials announced the discovery of a 16th-century shipwreck sitting at a record depth. Also in June, Australian researchers identified the precise spot where Captain James Cook's legendary ship sank in Newport, Rhode Island.
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
After flagging Istanbul help to Pakistan, Delhi defers its envoy's acceptance
CITING 'scheduling' issues, the Ministry of External Affairs postponed indefinitely the Thursday event at Rashtrapati Bhavan where Turkish Ambassador-designate Ali Murat Ersoy was to present his Letter of Credence to the President of India. The Ambassador-designate of Thailand and High Commissioner-designate of Bangladesh were also scheduled to present their credentials at the event. A Letter of Credence is a formal document appointing a diplomat as Ambassador or High Commissioner to another sovereign state. The postponement comes the day the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), India's aviation security regulator, revoked the security clearance of an Indian arm, Çelebi Airport Services India, of Turkey-headquartered airport ground handling major Çelebi Aviation Holding in the interest of 'national security' with immediate effect. On May 12, the government said it had taken note of Turkey's support to Pakistan before and during Operation Sindoor, including its diplomatic and defence assistance. A Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson said that India had already provided evidence to Turkey in this regard and expects Istanbul to look into its concerns on the issue. Sources said today's event was scheduled at 4 pm in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Turkish Ambassador-designate Ersoy was appointed this March. When contacted, officials at the Embassy of Turkey said personnel dealing with the matter were not immediately available to comment. An official of the Thai embassy in New Delhi said that they received a communication from the MEA conveying the postponement. 'The event was to take place at 4 this afternoon, but has been deferred. The communication did not give any reason. We are waiting for more clarity and a new schedule,' he said. Thai Ambassador-designate to India Chavanart Thangsumphant took charge in March. An official of the Bangladesh High Commission also confirmed receiving a communique from the MEA. 'We don't know why the event was cancelled at the last meeting and why no fresh date has been assigned,' he said. Bangladesh appointed Riaz Hamidullah as High Commissioner to India in February, but he arrived in New Delhi only in April. Most recently, President Droupadi Murmu accepted diplomatic credentials on February 27 when the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Panama, Guyana, Sudan, Denmark and Palestine presented their Letter of Credence during a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Jay Mazoomdaar is an investigative reporter focused on offshore finance, equitable growth, natural resources management and biodiversity conservation. Over two decades, his work has been recognised by the International Press Institute, the Ramnath Goenka Foundation, the Commonwealth Press Union, the Prem Bhatia Memorial Trust, the Asian College of Journalism etc. Mazoomdaar's major investigations include the extirpation of tigers in Sariska, global offshore probes such as Panama Papers, Robert Vadra's land deals in Rajasthan, India's dubious forest cover data, Vyapam deaths in Madhya Pradesh, mega projects flouting clearance conditions, Nitin Gadkari's link to e-rickshaws, India shifting stand on ivory ban to fly in African cheetahs, the loss of indigenous cow breeds, the hydel rush in Arunachal Pradesh, land mafias inside Corbett, the JDY financial inclusion scheme, an iron ore heist in Odisha, highways expansion through the Kanha-Pench landscape etc. ... Read More
