Turkey has come to a standstill at 9:05 a.m. today, which is the exact minute the founder of the Turkish Republic M. Kemal Ataturk passed away in 1938 in Istanbul. The first ceremonies commemorating the 67th anniversary of Ataturk's death took place this morning in Ankara with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer placing a wreath on the Anitkabir, which is Ataturk's mausoleum in Ankara. Turkish Daily News reports that Turkish President Ahmed Sezer released an official statement paying tribute to the founder Atuturk. In his statement, Sezer has said that that Turkish nation is indebted to Ataturk.
