ISTANBUL
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Friday dailies mainly covered death of Mustafa Koc, the chairman of the board of Turkey’s largest company Koc Holding.
“Early goodbye,” was HURRIYET’s headline, reporting that Mustafa Koc, aged 56, died after suffering a heart attack early Thursday in his home.
“Turkey’s sad loss,” was MILLIYET’s headline while HABERTURK wrote “Turkey cried for Koc”.
Koc was the eldest son of billionaire Mustafa Rahmi Koc.
Since 2003, he was chairman of the board of the family's Koc Holding which operates in the automotive sector, durable goods, food, retailing, energy, financial services, tourism, construction and IT industries.
The holding is the only Turkish company on the Fortune 500 list.
VATAN said a funeral service for Mustafa Koc will take place on Sunday and he will be buried in a cemetery next to his grandfather Vehbi Koc.
VATAN also reported that during Koc’s watch, the company had grown by eight times.
The daily said Mustafa Koc had acquired Tupras, Turkey’s biggest industrial company as well as Yapi Kredi Bank.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu sent their condolences to the Koc family.
Erdogan said he was deeply saddened by Mustafa Koc’s death, according to MILLIYET.
Davutoglu said Koc’s death was “a significant loss” for Turkey.
“Business life is in mourning,” was ZAMAN’s headline. The daily reported prominent business people’s messages of condolences following Koc’s death.
Guler Sabanci, CEO of Sabanci Holding, said she was in shock and deep sorrow, according to the daily. Similarly, Bulent Eczacibasi, CEO of Eczacibasi Holding, said Koc’s death was “a huge loss” for the country and the business world.
Prime Minister Davutgolu was in Davos, Switzerland to participate in the World Economic Forum.
According to HURRIYET, he criticized a lack of support from the international community for Turkey’s struggle against the terrorist organization PKK whereas there has been a unity, he said, against Daesh.
“Turkey does not see any difference between Daesh, PKK or DHKP-C [a leftist organization]. The PKK has been attacking civilians in Turkey and killing people in the southeast. We want all these organizations to be annihilated,” Davutoglu said.
HABERTURK reported that Davutoglu said Turkey has been against any terrorist organization taking part in the Syrian peace talks expected to start next week in Geneva.
“The only criterion is that moderate opposition should be represented,” Davutoglu said.
The Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, is the Syrian affiliate of the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the U.S.
Sevaral dailies covered the two-day visit to Turkey by Joe Biden, vice president of the United States.
“Ankara to inquire Biden on PYD,” was STAR’s headline.
“Biden will present new technology for border security. Ankara will bring up its annoyance regarding Washington and Moscow’s support to the PYD,” STAR claimed.
On its front page, STAR also claimed Turkish security forces had captured a PKK drone, claiming it was a U.S.-made RQ-20.
It alleged that PKK acquired the drone through the PYD, which itself received Washington military aid for its struggle against Daesh.
“An imported shield on the Syrian border,” was MILLIYET’s headline, reporting that Biden will discuss Washington’s desire to seal the Turkish-Syrian border to prevent militants from crossing into Syria to join Daesh.
