TURKISH OFFICIALS TO HOLD CONTACTS IN DAVOS ON IMF, MIDEAST, ARMENIA
Hurriyet
Jan 27 2009
Turkey
Turkish officials are expected to hold a series meetings on various
issues from the IMF, to Armenia and the Middle East conflict during
the Davos meetings due to start on Wednesday. (UPDATED)
A meeting is likely to be held with the Armenian foreign minister,
as a step towards normalizing relations between the two neighboring
countries, Turkish Foreign Minister might Ali Babacan told at a press
conference prior to his departure for Davos on Tuesday. Babacan said,
however, there is no schedule has been confirmed for the possible
meeting.
Turkey and Armenia restored dialogue after President Abdullah Gul paid
a visit to Yerevan last September. The two neighboring countries do
not have any diplomatic relations and the border is closed because
of Armenia’s invasion of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory.
The leaders of Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan would also be attending
the Davos meetings.
The invitation-only World Economic Forum is being held from Jan. 28
through to Feb. 1 in Davos-Klosters. More than 40 heads of state have
reportedly confirmed they will attend the gathering of leaders from
businesses, unions, and non-governmental organizations. Items on the
agenda include the global economic turmoil and climate change.
PM TO ATTEND MIDEAST SESSION
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will attend the session of
"Gaza: The Case for Middle East Peace". Israeli President Shimon
Peres will also attend the session as a speaker.
Erdogan is expected to stress that he did not target the Israeli
people in his harsh criticism against the Gaza operation and say that
"Anti-Semitism is a crime against humanity just as Islamophobia is,"
in his speech at the session, Hurriyet daily reported on Tuesday.
Secretary General of the Arab League and Washington Post columnist
David Ignatius will also attend the session.
The Turkish government played an active role to reduce tensions in
the Middle East and cut a truce after Israel’s three-week long air
and ground assault on Gaza which killed more than 1,300 people.
However the government came under fire due the harsh rhetoric it used
in criticizing Israel.
Erdogan also will meet with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on
the first of the Davos meetings. The two leaders are expected to hold
talks on the energy issues.
IMF PROCESS
Another issue that will dominate the Turkish officials’ agenda will be
the talks on the new loan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Turkey and the IMF suspended loan talks for 10 days, and Turkish
officials are scheduled to hold talks with fund executives during the
Davos meeting. The IMF delegation, currently in Turkey for the talks,
is expected to leave Ankara soon.
Economy Minister Mehmet Simsek will meet with IMF officials but did
not give further details on his contacts. Erdogan said he will meet
with the deputy managing director of the IMF.