US LEADER SAYS "EFFECTIVE MEASURES" NEEDED TO STOP TERRORISM AGAINST TURKEY

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Nov 2 2007

Ankara, 2 November: The Turkish foreign minister and chief negotiator
for EU talks, Ali Babacan, said [on] Friday [4 November] that the
US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, and he affirmed that Turkey
and the USA have similar goals on many issues.

Babacan and Rice held a tete-a-tete meeting in Ankara on Friday,
after which they held a joint press conference.

Babacan indicated that Rice and he discussed various issues, including
regional problems, Iraq and its north, terrorist organization,
Lebanon and the Middle East peace process, and a bill at the US
House of Representatives supporting Armenian allegations regarding
the incidents of 1915.

"We have seen that both Turkey and the USA share similar perspectives
on various issues. The USA is a friend and ally of Turkey. The USA is
also a strategic partner of Turkey. Within this framework, we share
the same vision regarding the settlement of problems," told Babacan.

Meanwhile, Rice said that Babacan and she agreed to take effective
measures against the terrorist organization.

Rice said that the United States considers PKK [Kurdistan Workers’
Party] as a terrorist organization and a common enemy.

"We have agreed with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan that
effective measures must be taken so that Turkey is not faced with
terror attacks in the future," told Rice a press conference in Ankara.

In a joint press conference after her tete-a-tete meeting with Ali
Babacan, Rice indicated that they discussed the problem in north of
Iraq and terrorist organization PKK.

"PKK is a threat to Iraq’s stability and security of both Turkey and
the United States," underlined Rice.

"Turkey is an important friend of the USA. We are thankful to Turkey
for organizing an international conference on Iraq in Istanbul,"
she noted.

"We discussed various issues, including Lebanon, Iran and the Middle
East peace process during our meeting. Babacan updated me on his
recent tour of the Middle East," underscored Rice.

In her speech, Rice offered her condolences to the family of former
Deputy Prime Minister Erdal Inonu, who passed away in a hospital in
the USA on Wednesday. "Inonu was a highly-important friend of the USA,"
said Rice.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that the US secretary of
state, Condoleezza Rice’s, visit to Turkey should be considered as
a start of closer cooperation between Turkey and the United States
against the terrorist organization PKK.

"What we expect from all our friends and the international community
is cooperation and solidarity on fight against terrorism," Babacan
told a joint press conference with Rice after their meeting.

"This cooperation and solidarity may have different forms or
instruments. What we need is to use these instruments in appropriate
time and in a strategic approach," Babacan said.

Babacan said today’s talks will resume in Washington on Monday, at a
meeting between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the
US president, George W. Bush.

"We hope that the United States, which was the target of huge terrorist
actions, understands the situation that we are going through and is
aware of the rage we feel. Obviously, we saw it (that they are aware)
during these talks," Babacan added.

On the other hand US Secretary Rice said PKK terrorism is a threat
to USA interests as well.

Rice said the USA was looking at enhancing its current intelligence
and information sharing with Turkey, and that she had begun talking
with Turkish leaders about effective measures.

"The United States is committed to redoubling its efforts because we
need a comprehensive approach to this problem," she said. "No-one
should doubt the commitment of the United States. We have a common
enemy and we need a common approach."

She said this process should include Iraqi government too, noting
that she would also discuss the matter with Iraqi Prime Minister
Nuri al-Maliki.

"This is going to take persistence and it is going to take
commitment. This is a very difficult problem. Rooting out terrorism
is hard," Rice added.