Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Nov 22 2006
Turkish premier to go to Lebanon to meet premier, wants Palestinian
unity
["PM ERDOGAN CRITICAL ON EU DEADLINE" – AA headline]
ISTANBUL (A.A) -22.11.2006 -"We are not used to policies aiming to
corner Turkey by imposing deadlines," Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said on Wednesday, while commenting on the position of EU rotating
President Finland, which gave Turkey till December 6th to open its
ports and airport to Greek Cypriot vessels and aircraft.
Replying to questions of reporters after taking the floor at the 10th
International Business Forum (IBF) organized by the Independent
Industrialists’ & Businessmen’s Association (MUSIAD) in Istanbul,
Erdogan said, "we have done what we should do. The others (EU
countries) should now fulfil their duties."
-TURKISH TROOPS IN LEBANON-
Erdogan said he would probably visit Lebanon in December to inspect
the Turkish troops deployed in the region, and to meet Lebanese PM
Fuad Siniora.
Commenting on assassination of Lebanese Minister of Industry Pierre
Gemayel, Erdogan said, "it is the time for unity and integrity. This
is of utmost importance for Lebanon, as well as for Palestine."
-GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS –
When a journalist recalled that, "there are now initiatives in the
USA, similar to those in France, trying to make a crime the denial of
so-called Armenian genocide," Erdogan said, "We will be in an effort
to influence the members of US Congress psychologically. Everyone
should take into consideration the (importance of) strategic
partnership between Turkey and the United States.
The ties between us is not ordinary and cannot be wasted or left
aside. We will of course launch initiatives."