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Babacan Says Fifth Round Of Israel - Syria Talks Will Be Held In Next Week
Turkish Press
ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has said that the fifth round of Turkey-mediated indirect talks between Israel and Syria was planned to be held in Istanbul on September
18th and 19th.
Babacan met his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Ankara .
Upon a question about Israel-Syria indirect talks during the joint news conference, Babacan said, "we can make a statement
about content of the talks only after both parties reach compromise. If Israel does not make any delay, the fifth round of the talks is planned to be held in Istanbul on September 18th and 19th."
Asked whether the
United States violated the Montreux Convention by sending navy ship to the Black Sea , Babacan said, "everything is in line with the convention. The Montreux Convention was signed in 1936. It was implemented with a great
discipline even in the time of the World War II. Today, Turkey maintains the same discipline."
Babacan said that he informed the Egyptian minister on recent developments in Cyprus . He reiterated that Turkey
extended full support to President Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to complete the full-fledged negotiations successfully.
Aboul Gheit expressed his hope that the parties on the island
would reach a satisfactory solution soon. He said that such a solution would pave the way for improvement of Cyprus`s relations with many countries.
Referring to Iran`s nuclear program, Babacan said, "six countries
submitted a package and a road map to Iran. Negotiations between Iran and those six countries are still continuing. All I can say is that we do not want nuclear weapons in our region. Egypt has the same view with Turkey . We
hope that the issue of Iran`s nuclear program would be peacefully resolved through dialogue."
Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit, in his part, said that Iran`s nuclear program should be resolved in a peaceful
way, adding that his country was against nuclear weapons.
Aboul Gheit also said that Egypt was quite pleased with Turkey`s active role in its region. He said Turkey`s efforts aimed at establishing peace and stability in
the region in which Turkey had historic relations with the peoples of the Balkans, Caucasus and Arabs.
" Egypt and Turkey are two important and powerful countries and our potential should be used for the advantage
of this region," he said
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