MINISTER SAYS TURKEY’S MIDDLE EAST POLICY AIMS TO REDUCE TENSION

Anadolu Agency
Jan 13 2010
Turkey

London, 12 January: Turkish foreign minister has said Turkey’s foreign
policy in the Middle East sought to ease tensions.

"Turkey’s position on issues over Iran and Palestine serves in reducing
tensions," Ahmet Davutoglu told a conference at the King’s College
as part of his visit to Britain.

Davutoglu said Turkey not only sought to act as a mediator between
conflicting sides but also aimed at making contribution to stability
and peace.

"We do not want to a cold war in the Middle East between what is
labelled as moderate and extremist states," Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said Turkey had helped the Sunni community to take part in
Iraqi elections and it help Lebanon and Syria mend and develop their
relations as well.

Responding to a question Turkish-Armenian relations, Davutoglu said
the Turkish government paid any effort in its power to normalize
relations between Turkey and Armenia, as well as to ease tensions in
the Caucasus.

Davutoglu said countries in the region needed to make high-level
contacts in order to solve their problems as well as creating mutual
economic dependencies.