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ANKARA: France Welcomes Turkish Contribution To UNIFIL

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  • ANKARA: France Welcomes Turkish Contribution To UNIFIL

    FRANCE WELCOMES TURKISH CONTRIBUTION TO UNIFIL

    The New Anatolian, Turkey
    Sept 11 2006

    French Ambassador in Ankara Paul Poudade said on Monday that his
    country welcomed Parliament's approval of a motion to send Turkish
    troops to Lebanon.

    "Turkey did well in joining the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL)
    in Lebanon," he added.

    Asked by reporters about the deployment of Turkish troops in Lebanon
    and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's visit to Paris this week, Poudade
    said that sending troops to Lebanon would be one of the main topics
    of Gul's trip.

    Poudade added that Turkey has good relations with both Israel and
    many Arab countries, and said that it would be the stabilizing force
    in a troubled region.

    Foreign Minister Gul will arrive in Paris today to participate in a
    Mediterranean cultural workshop entitled "Dialogue Between Peoples
    and Cultures," to be held tomorrow.

    Gul is also expected to meet his French counterpart Philippe
    Douste-Blazy on the sidelines of the meeting.

    The foreign minister's visit to France comes after relations
    were strained earlier this year by the French Parliament's move to
    criminalize questioning Armenian genocide claims, and several obstacles
    from Paris impeding smooth progress for Turkey in its European Union
    accession talks.

    Gul is expected to remind Douste-Blazy of EU pledges to end the
    international isolation of the Turkish Cypriots and express the
    Turkish government's expectation about finding a solution to the Cyprus
    problem. The French minister is expected to brief Gul on the status
    of a proposed French base in Greek Cyprus. The two ministers are also
    planning to discuss current Middle East issues, including Iran.

    Gul will also deliver a speech at the French International Relations
    Institute on Thursday and leave the country on Saturday.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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