Turkish Press
April 26 2005
Turkish – U.S. Relations Discussed At Colombia University
NEW YORK – Turkish-U.S. relations can be shown as an example, Egemen
Bagis, a MP from the Justice & Development Party (AKP), said on
Monday.
Taking the floor in a panel discussion on Turkish-U.S. relations in
New York, Bagis touched on developments regarding Iraq, and said,
”we share the same approach with the United States as regards to
establish a stable and democratic Iraq, which has territorial
integrity and political unity.”
Bagis noted that the presence of the terrorist organization PKK in
the northern part of Iraq constitutes one of the main problems in
Turkish-U.S. relations.
Noting that discrimination could not be accepted in fight against
terrorism, Bagis said, ”what PKK means for Turkey is exactly what
Zarqawi group or al-Qaeda mean for the United States. It is our most
natural right to expect our closest ally to hand over PKK militant to
Turkey, as countries like Syria and Iran, which had supported PKK for
years, are doing today.”
Bagis stated that any step to be taken by the United States against
the terrorist organization PKK would end the negative approach seen
in Turkey against the policies of the U.S. administration.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the United States due
in June would give message about friendly relations between the two
countries, said Bagis.
”OUR RELATIONS WITH EU ARE NOT AN ALTERNATIVE”
Answering a question, Bagis said that Turkey’s relations with the
European Union (EU) were not an alternative to relations with the
United States, but stressed that these relations complement each
other.
Bagis underlined that Turkey’s EU membership could bring a solution
to the clash of civilizations, and said that the EU could give a
wrong message to the Islam world if it did not admit Turkey after 41
years.
ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS
Upon a question on the so-called Armenian genocide allegations, Bagis
criticized the adoption by several parliaments resolutions regarding
this matter. ”As the politicians, we should try to determine the
future, and leave the past to the historians,” added Bagis.
BAGIS MEETS PRENDERGAST
Bagis, who later met Kieren Prendergast, the United Nations (UN)
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, told A.A correspondent
that he expressed Turkey’s hope that UN Secretary General (Kofi
Annan) would launch a new initiative regarding Cyprus problem. ”He
told me that a new dialogue would be launched between the parties in
Cyprus,” added Bagis.
-BAGIS PRESENTED WITH YOUNG LEADER AWARD-
On the other hand, it has been learned that Young Leader Award of
2005 would be presented to Bagis by the U.S. think-tank named
”Network 20/20” on Wednesday.