Erdogan says will ratify death penalty if approved by parliament

ANKARA, Oct 29 (KUNA) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday he would ratify reintroduction of the death penality once the parliament passed it.
"As President I will sign the law in order to take effect," Erdogan said in a speech during the opening of a train station in Ankara.
Erdogan said he believed the parliament would approve the reintroduction of the death penalty with a great majority.
Erdogan was addressing the crowd attending the opening of the station about last July failed coup attempt. But he talked about the death penalty in answer to calls by the crowd.
Turkey suspended the death penalty in 1984 but officially cancelled it in 2004.
Erdogan, meanwhile, reiterated determination to crack down on terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq. "Turkey will not wait for a permission from neighboring countries, and will act alone if the coalition countries declined to coordinate with Ankara," he added.
A Turkish soldier was injured when three rockets fired from Syria hit the southern city of Hatay, a military source said.
The rockets, which exploded near a military checkpoint, were fired from positions controlled by the Syrian regime forces, Anadolu news agency quoted the source as saying.
Turkish artillery retaliated at the source of fire, he added. (end) rs.bs