ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Friday that Foreign Ministry and General Staff have carried out together study on solution to Cyprus issue from the very beginning, and stated that this study was reviewed in Thursday's summit at Cankaya Presidential Palace.
Gul left for Azerbaijani capital Baku on Friday on an official visit.
Responding to questions of journalists at Ankara's Esenboga Airport prior to his departure, Gul said that news stories which claimed that Foreign Ministry and General Staff had different opinions on Cyprus issue were wrong.
Stating that there was a view that as if two institutions had different views and those different views were united in the summit and an agreement was reached, Gul said that it was not true. He said that Foreign Ministry and General Staff have carried out studies together from the very beginning and stated that the two institutions held close consultation on the issue, as the two institutions were closely interested in this issue. Gul said that studies were launched together and studies were carried out together and added that the study was reviewed in the summit on Thursday.
Gul said that studies were a process and there were still a few issues on which studies were carried on and stated that Turkey would show good intention for solution. He added that Turkey hoped that a similar good intention would also come from the other side.
When he was reminded that a reference to Annan's plan was not made in the final declaration of Thursday's summit, Gul said that studies were carried out on the basis of Annan's plan.
Gul said that they would pay first visit to Azerbaijan after new administration came to the power in this country and stated that he would be received by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and they would also meet with Foreign Minister Vilayat Quliyev.
Stating that he was going to Azerbaijan with Parliamentary Turkish-Azerbaijani friendship group members and businessmen, he said that they would search for further improvement of relations with this country.
Gul said that Turkey was monitoring developments in South Caucasia and attributed great importance to regional peace and underlined the importance of solution of Upper Karabakh on the basis of territorial integrity.
Gul said that after his meetings in Baku, he would proceed to Tehran and stated that his visit to Iran aimed to share pain of Iranian people and take up Turkey's contributions.
Foreign Minister Gul is expected to return to Turkey on Sunday.
(EÖ-UK) 09.01.2004