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ANKARA: Turkish - U.S. Relations Discussed At Colombia University

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  • ANKARA: Turkish - U.S. Relations Discussed At Colombia University

    Turkish Press
    April 26 2005

    Turkish - U.S. Relations Discussed At Colombia University


    NEW YORK - Turkish-U.S. relations can be shown as an example, Egemen
    Bagis, a MP from the Justice & Development Party (AKP), said on
    Monday.

    Taking the floor in a panel discussion on Turkish-U.S. relations in
    New York, Bagis touched on developments regarding Iraq, and said,
    ''we share the same approach with the United States as regards to
    establish a stable and democratic Iraq, which has territorial
    integrity and political unity.''

    Bagis noted that the presence of the terrorist organization PKK in
    the northern part of Iraq constitutes one of the main problems in
    Turkish-U.S. relations.

    Noting that discrimination could not be accepted in fight against
    terrorism, Bagis said, ''what PKK means for Turkey is exactly what
    Zarqawi group or al-Qaeda mean for the United States. It is our most
    natural right to expect our closest ally to hand over PKK militant to
    Turkey, as countries like Syria and Iran, which had supported PKK for
    years, are doing today.''

    Bagis stated that any step to be taken by the United States against
    the terrorist organization PKK would end the negative approach seen
    in Turkey against the policies of the U.S. administration.

    Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the United States due
    in June would give message about friendly relations between the two
    countries, said Bagis.

    ''OUR RELATIONS WITH EU ARE NOT AN ALTERNATIVE''

    Answering a question, Bagis said that Turkey's relations with the
    European Union (EU) were not an alternative to relations with the
    United States, but stressed that these relations complement each
    other.

    Bagis underlined that Turkey's EU membership could bring a solution
    to the clash of civilizations, and said that the EU could give a
    wrong message to the Islam world if it did not admit Turkey after 41
    years.

    ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS

    Upon a question on the so-called Armenian genocide allegations, Bagis
    criticized the adoption by several parliaments resolutions regarding
    this matter. ''As the politicians, we should try to determine the
    future, and leave the past to the historians,'' added Bagis.

    BAGIS MEETS PRENDERGAST

    Bagis, who later met Kieren Prendergast, the United Nations (UN)
    Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, told A.A correspondent
    that he expressed Turkey's hope that UN Secretary General (Kofi
    Annan) would launch a new initiative regarding Cyprus problem. ''He
    told me that a new dialogue would be launched between the parties in
    Cyprus,'' added Bagis.


    -BAGIS PRESENTED WITH YOUNG LEADER AWARD-


    On the other hand, it has been learned that Young Leader Award of
    2005 would be presented to Bagis by the U.S. think-tank named
    ''Network 20/20'' on Wednesday.
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