PRESIDENT GUL SAYS OBAMA’S VISIT TO SHOW TURKEY’S GLOBAL IMPORTANCE

Hurriyet
March 27 2009
Turkey

U.S. President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Turkey in April would
show Turkey’s global importance to the entire world, President Abdullah
Gul said Friday.

"There are strategic and quite important relations between Turkey
and the U.S. Those relations go beyond the issues concerning our
countries. Turkey and the United States hold perpetual consultations
about regional and international developments from Afghanistan to
the Middle East," Gul told a news conference before leaving Brussels
for Ankara.

He said Turkey is pleased with Obama’s decision to pay a visit to
the country, and added this will enable the countries to hold mutual
consultations on a range of issues.

"I also think that this visit will show Turkey’s global importance
to the whole world," he was quoted by Anatolian Agency as saying.

"Turkey and the United States cooperate with each other in the fight
against terrorism. We benefit from the United States’ cooperation
especially in our efforts to track down terrorist camps outside Turkey.

"In today’s world, no one can reach their targets through acts
of terrorism. All illegal organizations, including the PKK will
be eliminated. Both the EU and the regional countries realized
this fact. During my visit to Iraq last week, I held talks with
both the central government officials and the regional Kurdish
administration. Those talks revealed that no one will tolerate
terrorism," he said.

Turkey, provided with intelligence by the United States, has been
carrying out military operations against the terror organization PKK
both inside Turkey and in northern Iraq.

The PKK, which launches cross-border attacks on Turkey from bases in
northern Iraq, is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of
the international community, including the EU and the United States.

BOOSTING BILATERAL TIES Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said
late Thursday that the level of Turkish-U.S. relations is inadequate
and bilateral ties need to be boosted.

"I do not find the level of Turkey-U.S. relations adequate. I believe
the relations between Turkey and the United States should be enhanced,"
Erdogan told in an interview with broadcaster Show TV weeks ahead of
U.S. President Barack Obama’s planned Turkey visit.

Obama is scheduled to visit Turkey on April 6-7. He will hold bilateral
talks in Ankara and is also expected to attend an Istanbul meeting of
the Alliance of Civilizations initiative aimed at fostering dialogue
between the West and Muslim countries.

Erdogan said several matters including Turkey’s position in the Middle
East, the withdrawal of U.S. soldiers from Iraq and the role of Turkey
in Afghanistan would be discussed during Obama’s visit to the country.

The 1915 incidents, the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform,
problems between Russia and Georgia as well as Azerbaijan and Armenia
are also expected to be discussed during the U.S. president’s visit
to Turkey, he added.

Erdogan said the United States could play a leading role in bringing
about an end to these problems, adding that Obama’s visit to Turkey
will constitute a significant foundation for the future of bilateral
relations.

U.S. relations with Turkey soured in 2003 when Washington’s plans to
dispatch troops to invade Iraq from the north from bases inside Turkey
were thwarted by the country’s lawmakers who voted against the move.

Since then, relations have gradually warmed between the two fellow
members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Turkey, who plays a key role as the new administration prepares to
withdraw its troops from Iraq, to boost troops in Afghanistan and to
seek peace in the Middle East, signaled last week that it would be
willing to allow the transit of U.S. troops through the country.

ISRAEL-SYRIA TALKS Erdogan also told Thursday that Turkey is ready to
mediate between Israel and Syria if the two agree to resume stalled
indirect talks.

Turkey mediated four rounds of indirect talks between Israel and Syria
last year, but the process was suspended in December after the Jewish
state launched a deadly offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Erdogan said the negotiations could be revived if both countries
wished, adding that the prospect would depend also on the attitude
of the new Israeli government, which is yet to take office after
elections in February.

"If they make such a request to Turkey, we will do our best," he said.

"We are determined to do whatever we can for peace in the Middle
East… All issues should be resolved at the negotiating table,"
he added.

The Gaza offensive also strained Israel’s ties with Turkey, which
has been the Jewish state’s main regional ally since the two signed
a military cooperation agreement in 1996.

Turkey was among the countries that directed the harshest criticism
against Israel over its Gaza operations which killed more than
1,300 people.