KAS - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said on Saturday that Turkey and Greece would submit the documents that approve The Ottawa Land Mine Ban Treaty to U.N. Secretary General synchronously.
Foreign Minister Gul who hosted EU foreign ministers in Kas, held a joint news conference with Papandreou.
Expressing his pleasure to see EU ministers in Turkey, Gul hoped such opportunities to come out again. Thanking Papandreou, Gul said that Papandreou proposed the gathering in Kas and he was warm to the idea.
Gul later read out the joint statement of Turkey and Greece regarding the Ottawa Treaty that banned use of antipersonnel mines. Gul and Papandreou announced their decision to act together regarding Ottawa Treaty that banned use and production of land mines and which also foresaw their destruction.
Turkey and Greece, which will complete the ratification proceedings regarding the Ottawa Treaty, will submit their documents of ratification to U.N. Secretary General synchronously within the scope of the agreement reached between the two countries.
Turkey and Greece announced in their joint statement on April 6, 2001 that they would start synchronously the proceedings to make these two countries be a party to the Treaty.
When asked if Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister's coming to Kas would mean recognition of Greek Cypriot side by Turkey, Gul said that all concerned sides encouraged the sides on the island to resume the talks, adding the solution to be found had to satisfy the both sides. Gul stressed that the position of Turkey regarding the issue was very clear, adding that it was important to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Papandreou started his speech by expressing his condolences due to the quake in Bingol.
Stating that Turkish-Greek relations entered a new period with joint study on prohibition of land mines, Papandreou said that this cooperation was an indicator of the friendly relations between Turkey and Greece.
Papandreou said that borders between Turkey and Greece would be the borders which would further improve the friendly relations from now on.
Thanking local administrators in Kas and Kastellorizo for their hospitality and EU ministers for coming to gathering, Papandreou said that those two gatherings had a symbolic meaning, since warm welcome in Kas and Kastellorizo reflected the will of the peoples. He said that this showed that both countries left behind disagreements stemming from the past.
Stressing that Turkey's European perspective was clear, Papandreou said he hoped that a positive decision regarding Turkey would be taken in 2004.
When asked whether or not they had an initiative to lift the embargo imposed on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Papandreou said that he could not talk about this issue on behalf of the Greek Cypriot administration and stated that he was very pleased with passages between the two sides on the island. Stating that persons had the opportunity to see their houses which they did not see earlier, Papandreou said that it showed that peoples lived in a single European society irrespective of their different cultures and religions.
Papandreou said that they were looking forward to reunification of Cyprus and added that the legend claiming that Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, and Turkish people and Greek people could not live together, should be left behind.
(EÖ-ÖS) 03.05.2003