ANKARA - U.S. President George W. Bush told Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the United States wanted Turkey to support Middle East road map. Erdogan told Bush that Turkey would support it.
Sources said on Thursday that Erdogan spoke on Wednesday to Bush by phone upon explosions which took place three separate places in Riyadh, capital city of Saudi Arabia. Bush told Erdogan that they would continue to cooperate in fight against terrorism with Turkey.
Stating that the United States welcomed Turkey's attitude on territorial integrity of Iraq and north of Iraq, Bush told Erdogan that the United States wanted Turkey to support Middle East road map.
U.S. President Bush said that if Israel-Palestine issue was solved, the region would reach lasting peace.
Stating that they welcomed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus's (TRNC) initiatives in recent days, Bush said that they supported those developments.
Erdogan told Bush that they supported Middle East road map and stated that Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul would pay a visit to Israel.
Noting that he and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi discussed Iraq, Cyprus and EU issues, Erdogan said that Berlusconi would explain those issues to Bush during his visit to the United States at the end of this month.
Erdogan added that Greek Cypriot administration should exert efforts in return for initiatives of TRNC.
(EÖ-AÖ) 15.05.2003