Turkish Press
June 6 2008
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Meets U.S. Congressmen
Published: 6/5/2008
WASHINGTON – Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ali Babacan, who is visiting
Washington, held meetings with U.S. Congressmen on Wednesday.
Babacan’s first meeting was with Republican Whip, Congressman Roy
Blunt. Babacan later got together with members of U.S. Senate’s
Foreign Relations committee including Democrat Senator John Kerry–
who ran for President in 2003– .
Babacan also met Foreign Relations Committee Chairman California
Congressman Howard Berman and attended the reception hosted in his
honour by U.S. Congress Turkey working group and Turkey Friendship
group.
Babacan expressed his pleasure over the removal of the suggestion to
separate Iraq to three regions from U.S. agenda during his
meetings. His interlocutors asked Babacan about Turkey’s foreign
policy, the Armenian allegations and the Cyprus issue.
Babacan said he was hopeful about the new period in the island and
expressed his wish that the window opportunity would be used. He
expressed his expectancy for the Armenian bill to be prevented from
harming Turkish-Armenian relations.
Babacan will meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on
Thursday. Babacan, Rice and the accompanying delegations are expected
to get together over a working luncheon.
(OZG-AÖ)