Visit of the Parliamentary Delegation of the Republic of Turkey to Crimea

06 April 2013

On April 6, 2013 the Parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Turkey, headed by the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of TurkeyJemil Chichek and members of four Parliamentary political parties of the Republic of Turkey visited Crimea in the framework of their official visit to Ukraine.

On the same day the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of TurkeyJemil Chichek and members of the delegation visited the Verkhovna Rada of AR Crimea, the Permanent Representation of the President of Ukraine in Crimea and Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people where they held meetings with the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea Viktor Plakida and Leader of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev.

The meeting, held in the Permanent Representation of the President of Ukraine in Crimea was also attended by the MP of Ukraine, Leader of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev and MP of Crimea, First Vice Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov.

The Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of TurkeyJemil Chichek and accompanied him the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to Ukraine Mehmet Samsar, MPs of the Grand National Assembly of TurkeyMustafa Elitash, Mehmet Erdogan, Kazim Kurta, Lyutfi Turkkan, Khusamettin Zenderlioglu, General Consul of the Republic of Turkey in Odessa Husein Ergani were received by the Leader of Mejlis Mustafa Jemilev, his First Deputy Refat Chubarov, Deputy Chairman of Mejlis Remzi Ilyasov and Mufti of Muslims of Crimea hajji Emirali Ablaev.

The representatives of Crimean Tatar community, carrying state flags of Ukraine, Turkey and Crimean Tatar national flags, greeted the high guests at the entrance to the office of Mejlis.

During the detailed discussion, held in Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Mustafa Jemilev expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Turkey, represented by the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Jemil Chichek and his colleagues for cooperation with Ukraine and international organizations in providing assistance to the Crimean Tatar people in their resettlement. At this, the Leader of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev made the special emphasize on the consistent position of the Republic of Turkey concerning the support of Mejlis’ initiative to hold the International forum on the restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people in their Homeland, ensuring their safety and guaranteeing their development in Ukraine under the aegis of the OSCE.

“Despite the great volume of the social and economic problems and difficulties the Crimean Tatar people have their top priority task to preserve the national identity, preserve and develop the national language, traditions and culture,”- Mustafa Jemilev said at the meeting with the high guest from Turkey.

In his turn Jemil Chichek confirmed his statement, made earlier at the official meetings with the supreme authorities of Ukraine and Crimea that he sees the desperate need in holding of the International Forum in Ukraine in the nearest future, as well as the importance of the timely adoption of the laws that would regulate the rights of the Crimean Tatar people and other ethnic groups that were deported from Crimea on the national grounds.

According to the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in the framework of the policy of the strengthening and development of the friendly relations between Turkey and Ukraine? Turkey is going to implement the social and cultural projects in Crimea, in the framework of the agreements, reached with the Ukrainian Government, promoting both the development of the peninsular in the whole, and the revival of the Crimean Tatar people that lived through the dramatic tragedy in the immediate past.

In conclusion of the working meetings the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Jemil Chichek along with the Leader of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev and members of the Parliamentary delegation of Turkey visited the historical capital of Crimea – Bakhchisaray and examined the sights of the Bakhchisaray historical-cultural reserve.

After the tour around Khan’s Palace the high guests and representatives of Crimean Tatar community made the joint namaz in Khan’s Jami, being the part of the Khan’s Palace museum.

In conclusion of his visit to Bakhchisaray the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Jemil Chichek, the Leader of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev and accompanied them persons visited the Monument to the Turkish soldiers in Aq-Yar (Sevastopol) and made prayer, commemorating the Turkish soldiers that died during the East (Crimean) War of 1853-1856. The military orchestra of the Ukrainian Naval Forces performed the Turkish and Ukrainian anthems.

On the same day the Turkish Parliamentary delegation left to Turkey from Belbek airport.