ANKARA - National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said on Monday that Turkey wanted to take an active role in contributing to the ''Road Map'' which was adopted by the Israeli government on Sunday. Gonul said they proposed to hold a conference in Turkey in this respect.
Gonul and Israeli Defense Minister Retired Gen. Shaul Mofaz held a joint news conference following their meeting.
Gonul said Mofaz paid a short official visit to Turkey, stating that relations between Turkey and Israel, where principles of democracy and market economy prevail, improved on the basis of mutual interests in the fields of politics, economy, science, technology and military.
Gonul said those visits were a concrete example of the importance they attributed to the improvement of relations, adding that, ''we exchanged views on Israeli-Palestinian problem, military cooperation and some specific industry projects. We want peace and stability to prevail in the Middle East.''
Gonul said agreements, which were signed between the countries, reached 50, stating that those agreements constituted the legal basis of relations.
Gonul said, ''defense industry cooperation activities developed positively since 1996,'' and stated that many projects were carried out within the scope of defense industry and modernization.
Gonul said he believed that this visit would be beneficial both for the bilateral relations, as well as regional stability in Mediterranean-Europe basin and world peace.
Israeli Defense Minister Mofaz said that Turkey was a big country with which they had very good bilateral relations and that the two countries shared common interests and goals.
Mofaz noted that they took up important issues for the two countries during their meeting and they evaluated cooperation and defense industry issues between Turkey and Israel.
Recalling that he had earlier visited Turkey as the Israeli Chief of General Staff, Mofaz thanked for the interest shown in him during his visit.
When a reporter recalled that the Israeli cabinet adopted the ''road map'' foreseeing formation of a Palestinian state till 2005, Mofaz said that their first expectation from the Palestinian administration during that process was fight against terrorism.
Mofaz stated that the Palestinians had understood that political targets could not be reached through terrorist acts.
They were pleased with appointment of Abbas as the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mofaz said.
Mofaz noted that they expected Abbas' contributions to reaching a political result regarding the issue.
They expected hundred percent efforts from Palestine, Mofaz said. He stated that they wanted Palestine to fight against terrorism and show its good will about that issue.
Mofaz pointed out that ''the road map'' was adopted by the Israeli government but that the ball was now in Palestine's court. He said that they would watch the road followed by Palestine in fight against terrorism.
Replying to the same question, Gonul said, ''as Turkey, we want to take an active role in the Middle East process and we proposed to organize a conference in Turkey.''
Gonul emphasized that Turkey declared that it was ready to take an active role and organize a conference if it was to help peace process during the phases of the road map which would last for three years.
(AY-BRC-ÖS) 26.05.2003