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EU Calls on Turkey to Mediate in the Cartoon Conflict |
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Written by Turkish Weekly
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Friday, 24 February 2006 03:17 |
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The European Union is seeking to get candidate country Turkey actively involved as mediator in the Mohammed cartoon conflict, which has sharpened tensions between Europe and the Muslim world. The current Austrian EU presidency has invited Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul to present ideas on how to reduce the tensions at an informal so-called "Gymnich" meeting in Salzburg next month.
"The Turkish foreign minister has been invited to open a discussion on this theme at a meeting of foreign ministers on 11 March," Austrian presidency spokesman Nikola Johannes said, according to EU Observer.
Mr Gul is also expected to give further information on the so-called "Alliance of Civilisations" plan. The initiative for an "Alliance of Civilisations" was launched by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in July 2005 to bridge divides and overcome prejudice that potentially threatens world peace.
The call for an alliance was initiated by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain, and co-sponsored by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.
As it is known, Turkey accepted a visit from Palestinian Hamas leaders last week. This visit accelerated the debates about Turkey’s mediating role in the Middle East peace process. Some international figures like German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, argue that Turkey can act as mediator regarding the Islamic Resistance Movement of Hamas due to its strong and balanced relations with the countries of the region.
Taking the EU’s invitation into account, the potentiality of Turkey as a mediator in the Middle East and in the cartoon crisis is on the rise.
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