Trapped Turkish envoy, businessman rescued in ivory coast

Pakistani peacekeeping forces on Monday rescued the Turkish ambassador to Abidjan, who had become trapped in Ivory Coast amid the ongoing turmoil there. Clashes around the hotel district in Abidjan trapped Ambassador Yalcin Kaya Erensoy in the embassy building, part of a hotel compound, and stranded a Turkish business leader in his hotel in a separate location. The businessman, who was already in poor health, was rescued by the Pakistani forces, which are serving under a UN mandate, in the early hours Tuesday. The Foreign Ministry took the initiative at the level of the United Nations in New York, as well as with the Pakistani Embassy in Ankara, to rescue Erensoy and the businessman identified as Ali Ates, because Turkey does not have a peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast. The rescue coincided with a visit to Turkey by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, who arrived in Ankara late Monday and met yesterday with President Abdullah Gul. The president thanked his counterpart during the meeting for Pakistan's quick response to the crisis. Sources said the ambassador was currently in Abidjan and was secure, adding that the businessman was also secure and was likely receiving treatment.