US CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION COMPLETES CONTACTS IN ANKARA AND MOVES TO ISTANBUL
New Anatolian, Turkey
May 30 2007
An American congressional delegation completed its contacts in the
Turkish capital and moved to Istanbul Tuesday to meet the business
and financial community.
In Ankara the delegation met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc.
After their talks held at Erdogan’s office at the parliament,
co-chairman of the working group Edward Whitfield and U.S. Senator
from Nebraska Benjamin Nelson held a press conference.
Whitfield stated that they discussed the Turkish public disappointment
regarding PKK terrorism exported from Iraq, the general situation
in Iraq, the bill introduced to the U.S. Congress regarding the
allegations on so-called Armenian genocide and the prospective effects
of such a bill in case of its adoption.
Moreover, Turkey’s EU membership process, France and Germany’s
opposition to full Turkish membership and unification of Cyprus were
also on the agenda of the meeting, Whitfield said.
Asked to comment on a possible Turkish military incursion into Iraq,
Whitfield said that they thought the U.S. should take some concrete
steps on the issue, however, they did not encourage Turkey to carry
out a military operation as well.
Earlier Speaker Bulent Arinc on Monday received
U.S. delegation. Whitfield, referring to the general elections that are
due July 22, saying the visit takes place at a very historical time.
Turkey-U.S. Interparliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Egemen Bagis
also hosted a dinner in honor of members of the visiting delegation.
Speaking at the dinner, Bagis recalled that Ed Whitfield led the first
U.S. delegation that visited the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) by using Ercan Airport. He said, "following this initiative,
other foreign delegations paid such visits."
"Also the fact that the U.S. delegation attended the first formal
luncheon in Turkey together with the Turkish Cypriot ambassador shows
their support for the lifting of the isolations (on TRNC)," noted
Bagis. He also expressed pleasure over the efforts of U.S. delegation
against the draft on so-called Armenian genocide.
Noting that Iraq and PKK terrorist organization were discussed in
all meetings of U.S. delegation, Bagis said that terrorism in Iraq
is preventing many things.