Turkish foreign minister explains embassy wheelchair mishap

VILNIUS - Agence France-Presse

CHP Deputy Pavey’s request for a wheelchair was reportedly not meet by embassies. AA photo

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said he would have taken action if he were told about two Turkish Embassies’ failure to provide a wheelchair for an Istanbul deputy from the Republican People’s Party (CHP).

CHP Deputy Şafak Pavey said she wrote a letter to Davutoğlu informing him that Turkish Embassies in Brussels and Vienna failed to provide her with wheelchairs despite having made phone calls requesting them.

“I gave this issue my attention as soon as it was published in the media. Issues regarding the disabled are a top priority for us. I have talked to our ambassadors in Brussels, Vienna and the EU as well as Ms. Pavey. I have not received [Pavey’s] letter,” said Davutoğlu. He said the problem occurred due to a lack of communication between embassy secretaries and Pavey.

“My phones are always open. Each deputy can reach me at any time, especially regarding a failure to meet the needs of a disabled person. This is more than a representation, it is a humanitarian matter.”
Davutoğlu rejected claims that Pavey’s request was denied because she was a deputy of an opposition party.

He said Pavey was provided a wheelchair, contrary to what was written in the media. He also said media reports exaggerated the issue when they said the embassies were reluctant and negligent to Pavey’s request.