KATZAV: MOST IMPORTANT REASON OF HIS VISIT TO NEVE SHALOM SYNAGOGUE IS TO SHOW THAT ISLAM AND JEWS ARE NOT ENEMIES
ISTANBUL - Israeli President Moshe Katzav said on Wednesday that the most important reason of his visit to Neve Shalom Synagogue in Istanbul was ''to show that Islam and Jews were not enemies and did not contradict with each other.''
Katzav, who visited Neve Shalom Synagogue in Beyoglu, addressed those who were in the ceremony hall expressing pleasure to be in the synagogue.
Israeli President Katzav noted that ''Jewish society in Turkey was one of the best Jewish societies that had existed in history and the continuation of Jews who came from Spain and Portugal 500 years ago.''
Katzav said that he was accompanied by more than 100 businessmen during his visit and stated that ''it was a good expression of friendship of the people of the two countries.''
President Katzav of Israel thanked Turkish people for allowing Jewish people to live freely for centuries and for accepting the Jews unconditionally during the rule of the Ottoman Empire when nobody in the world accepted the Jews after they left Spain.
''Islam and Judaism were not opposite and enemies of each other,'' Katzav stated.
Emphasizing that aim of close and friendly relations of Israel and Turkey was not to harm a third party, Katzav said that bilateral relations between the two countries aimed to raise living standards of their people and be beneficial to other countries.
KATZAV: ''WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO OUR UTMOST TO REACH PEACE''
Katzav said that they had been trying to do their utmost to reach peace, however, they could not see a 100 percent cooperation of Palestinian side to this end.
Speaking at a ceremony hosted in his honor by Turkish Chief Rabbinate in Istanbul's Neve Shalom Synagogue, President Katzav said, ''yesterday, I visited the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. During my visit, I was learnt that Jewish people had also fought and lost their lives to defense the Ottoman Empire during the World War I and to found the Republic of Turkey.''
''Some 100 years ago, Jewish people began to believe that they should have their own country. We could live in peace only in our own country. At last, a Jewish state was founded. During the 55-year existence process of Israel, we have still been face to face with the jeopardy of permanent existence. We have been face to face with terrorist acts and attacks all the time,'' he said.
President Katzav said, ''many positive steps were taken to reach peace in the last decade. Oslo Agreement was signed ten years ago. A week ago, we have entered 'road map' process. We have been trying to do our utmost to reach peace. However, we cannot see 100 percent cooperation of Palestinian side to this end. Terrorist attacks have still been continuing. We hope that these attacks will come to an end soon. We have never lost a war so far. We signed two peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan. I believe that Arab world will recognize existence of Israel and make peace soon.''
''Our desire to reach peace does not stem from any weakness. Israeli Army is the best army in the Middle East. We have been supporting our army scientifically and technically,'' he said.
Noting that Jewish community in the world had been supporting them in these difficult periods, President Katzav said that they had succeeded in maintaining their existence with prayers of Jewish people all over the world.
Describing Jewish and Muslim peoples as 'cousin', President Katzav said, ''Islam, Judaism and Christianity are not contrary to each other. In fact, they are very close.''
President Katzav thanked for hospitality they received in Turkey.
TURKISH-ISRAELI BUSINESS COUNCIL HOSTS A LUNCHEON IN HONOR OF ISRAELI PRESIDENT KATZAV
Turkish-Israeli Business Council which is working under the body of Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) hosted on Wednesday a luncheon in honor of President Moshe Katzav of Israel at Istanbul's Swissotel.
Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu who delivered a speech at the luncheon said that settlement of a lasting peace in the region would strengthen role of the Mediterranean region in the world politics as a center of prosperity and peace.
Hisarciklioglu said that trade volume between Turkey and Israel started to further increase with free trade agreement which was signed in 1996 and stated that improvement of economic relations would contribute to settlement of democracy and development of prosperity in the region.
Recalling that they held a meeting in which Turkish and Israeli businessmen came together in Ankara on Tuesday, Hisarciklioglu said that both countries could launch joint initiatives in high technology, research-development, agriculture, food, water, defense industry, electronic, textile and construction materials.
Hisarciklioglu said that Turkish contracting sector which recorded very important progress in the world should be given more possibilities to get more share in public infrastructure projects in Israel and it would contribute to development of economic relations between the two countries and added that improvement of free trade agreement would bring benefits to both countries.
Pointing out that a new peace process had begun in the Middle East, Hisarciklioglu said, ''the road map, which was prepared for the sides to live side by side in peace, was accepted. Turkey has been supporting this process. During last month's World Economic Forum meetings in Jordan, participants stressed that a culture of peace should be settled in the region instead of dispute and clashes. Non-governmental organizations will have an important role in settlement of peace in the region. Development of trade and investment cooperation in the region will make a significant contribution to efforts to strengthen peace. Settlement of a lasting peace in the region will strengthen role of the Mediterranean region in the world politics as a center of prosperity and peace.''
Noting that Israeli President Moshe Katzav's visit to Turkey would accelerate economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Israel, Hisarciklioglu thanked President Katzav for his support.
Meanwhile, Turkish-Israeli Business Council Chairman Ekrem Guvendiren said, ''Turkey was one of the first countries recognizing Israel. Trade volume between Turkey and Israel was under 20 million U.S. dollars in 1985. However, trade volume between the two countries reached up to 1 billion 200 million U.S. dollars last year. I believe that attitude and cooperation of Turkish and Israeli businessmen would further increase this amount.''
''President Katzav's paying an official visit to Turkey with a delegation of 150 Israeli businessmen is a sign of importance attributed by Israel to Turkey. Negative atmosphere in our region have affected economies of regional countries negatively. However, recent positive developments have given us hope. We believe that problems will be resolved soon.''
KATZAV: ''ECONOMIES OF OUR COUNTRIES COMPLETE EACH OTHER''
Speaking at a luncheon hosted in his honor of Turkish-Israeli Business Council, President Katzav said, ''many changes have been occurring in the world economy in the last decade. There have been many ups and downs. Very positive changes have been happening both in international platform and the Middle East.''
Recalling that the world economy had suffered a heavy blow in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, President Katzav said that the humanity had the right to live in a peaceful world without terrorism, adding that it would make a valuable contribution to development of economy.
''We attribute great importance to economic cooperation between Turkey and Israel. We came to Turkey since we believe in this great economic potential between Turkish and Israeli economies. I am proud of improving economic relations between Turkey and Israel. Our countries have some joint interests. They are maybe the only democratic states in the Middle East. Israeli businessmen are positive about Turkey's economic data. In return, Israel's economic data are very good for Turkish businessmen. Now, I am calling out to Israeli businessmen: Turkey has a population of 70 million. Turkey's population is younger than Europe. Annual income increased considerably in the last two decades. Turkey is about to become a member of the European Union (EU) and has a great potential to develop itself,'' he said.
President Katzav continued, ''all these data constitute a great opportunity to set up good relations between the two countries. Importance of this cooperation was underlined during my yesterday's meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. We are in favor of further developing economic cooperation between our countries. The economies of Turkey and Israel completed each other, It is a great advantage for the countries.''
Katzav said that terrorism affected negatively all world economy and stated that but they were on a point which could be a model in the Middle East. He added that they could form a model for peoples in the Middle East to have better conditions.
Stating that Israeli state expressed that it accepted establishment of free and independent Palestinian state, Katzav said that it was a very important event for Palestinians and Arab world.
Katzav said that but he was not sure that all Arab world wanted establishment of independent Palestinian state and stated that because they made some statements which prevented its establishment time to time.
Noting that he believed that it could yield very positive results with cooperation of five big states including Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Palestine Autonomous Administration and Egypt in long period, Katzav said that there could be a very big potential in this cooperation.
Katzav said that cooperation between those five countries would not prevent other countries' participating in this cooperation.
Stating that Israel had dealt with war and terrorism for 55 years, Katzav said that he believed that there were very good reasons to be optimistic about Israeli and Palestinian people.
Katzav said that there were common interests for the two peoples and stated that Israeli and Palestinian people lived together and neither peoples nor their economies could be separated from each other.
Katzav said that Arab world started to accept presence of Israeli state and noted that Israeli state was a fact, but there were some people who still wanted destruction of Israeli state.
Stating that cooperation between regional countries was very natural, Katzav said that Israel would do its best together with Arab states to reach peace.
Katzav said that Israeli and Palestinian peoples had common interests and aims and added that he hoped that Palestinian people were aware of those common interests.
After the meeting, Turkish and Israeli companies held bilateral meetings.
ISRAELI PRESIDENT KATZAV SAYS HE BELIEVES THAT PALESTINIANS WANT TO MAKE PEACE
Katzav who attended a boat tour in the Istanbul Strait with State Minister Mehmet Aydin replied to questions of reporters.
Upon a question regarding Israeli-Palestinian peace, Katzav said that he believed that Palestinian people wanted to make peace and added that but Iran, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Arafat caused some serious problems.
Upon a question on detention of 11 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq, Katzav said that he believed that crisis between Turkey and the United States would reach a solution soon and stated that a delegation which would search all these events in Turkey and the United States convened on Tuesday morning.
Israeli President Katzav said that this event was being searched in detail and stated that he believed that event in northern Iraq would not affect Turkish-U.S. relations and friendship would continue.
When asked how he considered Turkey's proposal for being mediator between Israel and Palestine, Katzav said that gathering of peace agreement council was not on the agenda at the moment since they were at the beginning of road map and stated that he did not want to make a special comment on the issue.
Katzav added that but he was proud of the proposal and stated that they would assess it when the right time came.
ISRAELI PRESIDENT KATZAV DEPARTS FROM TURKEY
Israeli President Moshe Katsav wrapped up his contacts and departed from Turkey on Wednesday. Katzav left for Moldova.
Katzav and the accompanying delegation left for Moldova at 22.00 local time.
(AY) 09.07.2003