TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER OPTIMISTIC AFTER MEETING WITH CHENEY

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Feb 7 2007

Gul is scheduled to meet with his American counterpart Condoleezza
Rice on Wednesday.

Guncelleme: 11:31 TSÝ 07 Þubat 2007 CarþambaWASHINGTON – Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said he was optimistic that there would
be progress made concerning the continuing presence of the terrorist
group the PKK in northern Iraq.

Speaking after meeting with US Vice President Dick Cheney at White
House late Monday, Gul told reporters there might be some developments
regarding the PKK that would meet Turkey’s expectations.

Gul also separately meet with the US National Defence Advisor Stephen
Hadley on Tuesday. "Both meetings went very well," Gul said. "As you
know the significant topics were the future of Iraq, the Armenian
bill and issues over combating terrorism."

When asked whether he had been given any concrete promises over steps
to be taken to combat the PKK, such targeting their camps in northern
Iraq, Gul responded by saying, "Would tell that they will go and hit
on this date?".

He added that he was shown a very serious approach and a very open
one which made him feel that the meetings went well.

When Gul was asked about Ankara’s approach on calling to postpone the
upcoming referendum in the oil rich city of Iraq, Kirkuk, Gul said
that for Turkey the integrity and peace of Iraq was very important.

"The current sectarian conflict unfortunately has reached very great
dimensions. This should spark into another shape. Kirkuk is a Iraqi
city. It is very important that everyone in peace and safety in there,"
Gul said.

–Boundary_(ID_avJAIepfG57TisTWDe4aWw)–