Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during opening ceremony of the Eurasia Tunnel connecting Asian and European sides under Bosporus, in Istanbul, Turkey on December 20, 2016.
Istanbul
By Bahattin Gonultas and Muhammed Ali Gurtas
ANKARA
The assassination of Moscow’s ambassador to Ankara, Andrey Karlov, was a “provocation” against “Turkish-Russian relations”, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of Istanbul's Eurasia Tunnel, Erdogan said Turkey would not “let terror hitch us to its own agenda”.
The Russian envoy was shot dead on Monday evening as he attended the opening ceremony of an art gallery in capital Ankara.
Erdogan also said terror attacks will not harm the nation’s unity.
He also confirmed that a joint commission with Russia was set to start investigating the incident and those responsible.
Crowds at the opening ceremony shouted” "We want the death penalty!"
"You are right. The people should get what they want," Erdogan responded.
The death penalty was banned in Turkey in 2004 as part of the country’s attempt to be closer to the European Union.
However, after the bloody coup attempt of July 15, some citizens have been calling for the reinstatement of capital.
