Turgut Özal

Halil Turgut Özal (October 13, 1927 – April 17, 1993) was the twentieth prime minister (December 13, 1983 to October 31, 1989) and the eighth president (November 9, 1989 to April 17, 1993) of the Turkish Republic. Özal founded the Motherland Party and was its leader from May 20, 1983 to October 31, 1989.

Turgut Özal in 1989

Quotes

• What if we officially recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide and face up to our past?
  • Who Poisoned Former Turkish President Ozal?. (August 22, 2013)
• In all these countries, (Özal swept his hand across the map from Afghanistan to Algeria) too many people have too little hope.
  • The Washington Institute's Second Annual Turgut Ozal Memorial Lecture. (October 14, 1998)
  • Comment made 8 years earlier to Strobe Talbott during an interview for Time (Jan. 28, 1991) about the phenomenon of extremism in the Islamic world, as told by Strobe Talbott during The Washington Institute's Second Annual Turgut Ozal Memorial Lecture.

• Turkey must show its teeth to Armenia. What harm would it do if a few bombs were dropped on the Armenian side by Turkish troops holding maneuvers on the border?
  • The New York Times, (April 18, 1993)
  • Said when discussing the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

• The only thing not to do in a crisis situation is to remain in the status quo. Up to the present every crisis has ultimately served as a springboard for progress.
  • The Washington Institute's Eighth Annual Turgut Ozal Memorial Lecture. (June 19, 2006)
  • From remarks by United States Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Ambassador Eric S. Edelman at The Washington Institute's Eighth Annual Turgut Ozal Memorial Lecture.

• Now, we changed it, here you are!
  • In the Motherland Party's congress. Seconds before assassination attempt by Kartal Demirağ (1988)