WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said in his meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on Thursday that he could not be a mediator in Cyprus negotiations, but he promised to make every effort to take initiative with his team to resolve the Cyprus dispute in case of a deadlock.
Powell promised Gul to do his best for solution in Cyprus with his team composed of U.S. Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lynn Pascoe, and Cyprus Special Coordinator Tom Weston.
Sources said the U.S. also suggested the Greek Cypriot side to take initiative about the issue, noting that the U.S. attached great importance to the issue as the elections were going to take place in the U.S.
With regard to Iraqi issue, Gul said that Turkey favoured a peaceful Iraq which had territorial integrity in political aspect, while Powell gave the message that the U.S. shared that vision.
Pointing out to the importance of Kirkuk for Turks, Gul said it was natural for Turkey to be concerned about Turkmens, adding that Turkmens were always ignored and the natural resources of Iraq could not be left to one group. Gul said that the number of Turkmen representatives in the Iraqi governing council were insufficient and he stressed the importance of Iraq's not being a federation based on ethnic or religious structure. Gul said that the structure to be formed there should not cause separatism.
Gul also expressed pleasure over the concern of the U.S. about Georgia.
Noting that Turkey expected the U.S. to take rapid and concrete steps about the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK, Gul underlined the importance of reviving Israel-Syria peace talks and noted that Turkey was ready for mediation.
Gul noted that Turkey also did its best about Armenian issue, noting that even diplomatic relations could be formed, but steps needed to be taken about the issue of Upper Karabakh.
Powell said the U.S. shared the same vision for Iraq with Turkey, adding that the U.S. wanted Iraq to return to Iraqi people in short time. Powell stressed that the U.S. continued to pursue its approach based on a single Iraq.
Powell noted that the U.S. took the PKK to its list of terrorist organizations before everybody else, adding that the U.S. would take action to end PKK terrorism. He stressed that U.S. President George W. Bush was resolved to eliminate PKK.
(Öª-AÖ) 30.01.2004