12 Facts About Selim Sarper

Selim Rauf Sarper was a Turkish diplomat and politician.

Selim Sarper served as Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1960 and 1962.

Selim Sarper spent his youth years in Germany, where he finished the high school in 1918, and attended University of Berlin to study law.

Selim Sarper then served as a teacher of French language in a high school at Adana in 1923 before he worked as a clerk at the Independence Tribunal in the early years of the Republican era.

In 1944, Selim Sarper was appointed Turkey's Ambassador to Moscow, an important mission during the last years of World War II and the early years of the Cold War.

In 1946, Selim Sarper became Ambassador to Italy in Rome, in 1947 Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations and in 1957 Permanent Representative of Turkey to NATO.

On 28 May, the next day of the 1960 Turkish coup d'etat, Selim Sarper, took United States Ambassador in Ankara Fletcher Warren to the coup leader General Cemal Gursel for a visit.

Selim Sarper was appointed the same day Minister of Foreign Affairs replacing Fahri Koruturk in the draft cabinet list.

Selim Sarper entered later the Republican People's Party running for a seat in the parliament at the 1961 general elections.

Selim Sarper continued to serve at his post as Minister of Foreign Affairs until 16 February 1962.

On 14 May 1968 Selim Sarper underwent a lung surgery for the second time.

Selim Sarper died on 11 October 1968 in Ankara; his body was transferred to Istanbul.