Turkish FM Davutoğlu hosts families of Mavi Marmara victims at dinner

ANKARA – Anatolia News Agency

Foreign Ministry officials said the meeting was originally scheduled to be held after Davutoğlu’s Gaza visit in November 2012. AA photo

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu hosted the families of the victims of Israel’s Mavi Marmara raid at a dinner at his residence on April 2. 

The dinner came during preparations for the first talks between Israeli and Turkish officials on the compensation for a raid that resulted in the death of nine Turkish citizens, following Israel’s apology two weeks ago.

The Foreign Ministry rejected claims that the issue of compensation was on the agenda, instead describing the meeting as a “family dinner.” However, some of the lawyers of the victims' relatives were also present, according to Anatolia news agency. 

Foreign Ministry officials said the meeting was originally scheduled to be held after Davutoğlu’s Gaza visit in November 2012, but had to be postponed.

“It’s a gratitude dinner for the memory of the victims,” Deputy Foreign Minister Naci Koru has said. Members of the Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH) which organized Mavi Marmara’s mission and operated the ship also participated in the dinner.