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Turkey-EU Troika Meeting: Agenda is Terror |
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Written by Agencies
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Tuesday, 20 November 2007 13:55 |
Turkey-EU Troika Meeting held in Brussels tuesday. In the a joint press conference that parties prepared after the meeting Member of the European Commission Responsible for Enlargement Olli Rehn said that EU respects the right of Turkey to protect her citizens against terrorism and demands from Turkey and Iraq to find a political solution to the problem. He also told that the EU is closely following the steps taken by Turkish authorities to ban the country’s pro-Kurdish Political Party, Democratic Society Party.
In the conference, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan underlined the concerns of Turkey on terrorism. As known, Turkey suffers from PKK attacks, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA, and considers launching a military operation to the Northern part of Iraq to impede terrorist attacks. In the Troika meeting, Mr. Babacan demanded help and cooperation from EU states in fighting against terrorism. Mr. Babacan also mentioned the cooperation between the EU Commission, EU’s Term Presidency and the Turkey. Ali Babacan underscored the reform movements in Turkey within the last 5 years and added “Turkey is in the process of transition. Turkey has successfully overcome all the difficult problems up to now, and she is also going to pass the forthcoming exams successfully.” |
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Top US generals in Ankara for talks on Kurdish terorists |
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Written by Agencies
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Tuesday, 20 November 2007 13:36 |
Two top U.S. generals were holding talks in Turkey with the Turkish counterparts to discuss measures to crack down on Kurdish rebels based in northern Iraq.
Turkey has massed troops on its border with Iraq and has been weighing a cross-border attack against terorist PKK.
The United States considers the PKK a terrorist organization, and President Bush told visiting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month that the U.S. would begin sharing intelligence on the guerrillas. US President Bush announced after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Washington that the three generals would coordinate the fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Tuesday's talks — between Gen. James Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq; and Turkey's Gen. Ergin Saygun — lasted a few hours, U.S. officials said, but no further details were available. The U.S. Embassy said the meeting was a follow-up to one between Bush and Erdogan.
"The issues of Iraq, the ongoing cooperation against the common enemy, the PKK, and comprehensive intelligence sharing were discussed," the Turkish military said in a statement.
PKK have killed more than 50 Turks in cross-border raids since late September, and pressure is growing on Turkey's government to strike back.
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Mideast Leaders Address Turkish Parliament |
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Written by VOA News
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Wednesday, 14 November 2007 03:54 |
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Shimon Peres became the first Israeli head of state to address Turkey's parliament Tuesday when he spoke in Ankara. Speaking optimistically about prospects for peace with the Palestinians, Mr. Peres was joined by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. For VOA, Dorian Jones has this report from the Turkish capital.
Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met in Ankara where they signed an agreement to go ahead with a Turkish plan to open an industrial zone in the West Bank to help the Palestinian economy.
But the real focus of the meeting was to boost trust between the two side ahead of a planned Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland, aimed at relaunching peace negotiations between the two sides that broke down amid violence seven years ago. No date has been set for that conference which has been planned for this year.
Turkish president Abdullah Gul, who invited the Israeli and Palestinian leaders for the three-day visit, expressed hope that the talks would yield positive results.
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Israeli president in Turkey to address Parliament with Palestinian counterpart |
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Written by International Herald Tribune
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Monday, 12 November 2007 03:21 |
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Israeli President Shimon Peres arrived in Turkey on Sunday to address Parliament with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, just weeks before Israelis and Palestinians are expected to sit down at a U.S.-sponsored peace conference.
Peres on Tuesday will be the first Israeli president ever to speak before the legislature of a Muslim country. Abbas is expected to address the Turkish legislators later the same day.
Turkey, a NATO member and Israel's closest ally in the Islamic world, has in the past played the role of mediator between the Jewish state and its Muslim neighbors.
The U.S.-backed peace conference is expected to take place in Annapolis, Maryland, late November with the aim of relaunching Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
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Turkish prosecutor took steps to ban pro-Kurdish political party |
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Written by Agencies
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Friday, 16 November 2007 18:14 |
Turkish prosecutors on Friday started legal action to ban the main Kurd political party in Turkey, which has been accused of colluding with Kurdish terorists. Prosecutors have asked the Constitutional Court to ban the DTP and expel several of its lawmakers from parliament on charges of separatism.
The Kurdish issue has returned to the international spotlight in recent weeks after the Turkish parliament approved cross-border strikes on PKK bases in northern Iraq. Turkey has massed 100,000 troops on the border and scores of PKK rebels have been reported killed in clashes in recent weeks in Turkish territory.
"The party in question has become a base for activities which aim at the independence of the state and its indivisible unity," through its links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), said chief prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya in a statement to the court. The prosecutor's office on Friday sent the 120-page indictment to the country's Constitutional Court. The chief prosecutor asked the Constitutional Court to ban 221 members of the party, including eight lawmakers, from taking part in politics for five years after the closure of the party. His indictment said the Democratic Society Party (DTP) had implemented the orders of jailed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan, spreading PKK propaganda and giving it logistical support.
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President Shimon Peres says Israel can make peace with Palestinians |
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Written by International Herald Tribune
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Monday, 12 November 2007 15:59 |
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Israeli President Shimon Peres said Monday he believed his country could now make peace with Palestinians and said it was determined to make U.S.-sponsored peace negotiations later this month a success.
"I believe we can make peace now with Palestinians and all countries that are on the side of peace," Peres said, while adding that it might not happen quickly. "It takes time to make peace."
Peres was speaking in Ankara after meeting Monday with Turkey's President Abdullah Gul.
A Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland, at the end of this month is aimed at relaunching Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, which broke down in violence seven years ago.
On Tuesday, Peres meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived Monday in Ankara.
"Israel is decided to make Annapolis a success," Peres said. "Israel is decided to bring an end to the conflict."
Gul said Turkey expected the Annapolis talks to yield "concrete and tangible results," and said Syria should also be invited to participate.
"As a country that is a party to the problem, it is important that Syria participates," Gul said.
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