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Gul: Turks, Greeks And A United Cyprus Can Be A Basin Of Cooperation
Anatolian Times, Turkey
July 9 2006
WASHINGTON D.C. - "Turks, Greeks and a united Cyprus can be a basin
of cooperation for the region. Both the EU and we need such a thing,"
said Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul
on Thursday. Speaking at a meeting at the Brookings Institution,
Gul said, "we missed a great opportunity to find a solution to the
Cyprus issue in 2004 after the Greek Cypriot administration rejected
the plan of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. However,
they were awarded with the EU membership while the Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was punished."
Recalling that Turkey revealed its Action Plan for Cyprus in January,
Gul said, "we proposed that all restrictions should be lifted at
the same time. However, we were told that we should lift embargo
first. I hope that the situation will not further deepen. We have
assumed a productive attitude, and worked hard to find a solution."
Upon a question about the terrorist organization PKK, Gul said,
"we appreciate the United States' efforts to eradicate the terrorist
organization. The United States was one of the countries recognizing
the PKK as a terrorist organization. However, we expect the United
States to expand more support. We cannot understand presence of the
PKK in Iraq."
Replying to another question about Iran's nuclear activities, Gul said,
"we believe that Iran should not miss the recent opportunity. Five
permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany
have put forward a quite reasonable proposal."
Referring to recent developments in Iraq, Gul said, "we wish that all
different ethnic groups will leave together in Iraq in peace. However,
there are different groups in Kirkuk. Therefore, only one of them
should not determine the future of the city."
Upon questions about the so-called Armenian genocide, Gul said, "Turkey
has proposed to form a joint committee of historians as an expression
of its good will. We believe that it was the Armenian diaspora which
put forward such baseless allegations. We think that tragic events
during the World War I should not be used for political purposes."
Anatolian Times, Turkey
July 9 2006
WASHINGTON D.C. - "Turks, Greeks and a united Cyprus can be a basin
of cooperation for the region. Both the EU and we need such a thing,"
said Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul
on Thursday. Speaking at a meeting at the Brookings Institution,
Gul said, "we missed a great opportunity to find a solution to the
Cyprus issue in 2004 after the Greek Cypriot administration rejected
the plan of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. However,
they were awarded with the EU membership while the Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was punished."
Recalling that Turkey revealed its Action Plan for Cyprus in January,
Gul said, "we proposed that all restrictions should be lifted at
the same time. However, we were told that we should lift embargo
first. I hope that the situation will not further deepen. We have
assumed a productive attitude, and worked hard to find a solution."
Upon a question about the terrorist organization PKK, Gul said,
"we appreciate the United States' efforts to eradicate the terrorist
organization. The United States was one of the countries recognizing
the PKK as a terrorist organization. However, we expect the United
States to expand more support. We cannot understand presence of the
PKK in Iraq."
Replying to another question about Iran's nuclear activities, Gul said,
"we believe that Iran should not miss the recent opportunity. Five
permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany
have put forward a quite reasonable proposal."
Referring to recent developments in Iraq, Gul said, "we wish that all
different ethnic groups will leave together in Iraq in peace. However,
there are different groups in Kirkuk. Therefore, only one of them
should not determine the future of the city."
Upon questions about the so-called Armenian genocide, Gul said, "Turkey
has proposed to form a joint committee of historians as an expression
of its good will. We believe that it was the Armenian diaspora which
put forward such baseless allegations. We think that tragic events
during the World War I should not be used for political purposes."