ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said, ''we believe that everything in foreign policy should be transparent. We are not in favor of media blackout in the negotiation process aiming to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue. However, it is not healthy to talk about content of meetings right after the talks.''
Gul received Economic Co-operation Organization (ECO) Secretary General Askat Orazbay on Thursday.
Replying to questions of journalists following the meeting, Gul said, ''both Turkish Cypriot and Turkish peoples should receive information about the negotiation process. My earlier statements about the issue were misunderstood. In order to carry out the negotiation process in a healthy way, the sides should not explain content of meetings before coming to a conclusion. Any media blackout or hiding are out of question. We believe that everything in foreign policy should be transparent.''
Noting that the quadrilateral conference would take place in Luzern town of Switzerland, Gul said that it was still unclear whether the conference would be held on the level of prime ministers.
''We want that political will should be represented at the conference on the highest level. We prefer that the two sides would find a solution to the Cyprus issue till May 1, 2004. Results of elections in Greece will not affect the schedule of negotiation process,'' he said.
Referring to appointment of Orazbay, Gul said, ''a secretary general from another country except for Turkey, Iran and Pakistan was appointed for the first time. I believe that the ECO would make valuable contributions to the member countries during secretariat general of Orazbay. The ECO includes a region populated by nearly 350 million people. I believe that ECO Development Bank would be established during term in office of Orazbay.''
Meanwhile, Orazbay said that he was paying his first official visit to Turkey since his appointment. He thanked Turkey for its support to the ECO.
(UK-AÖ) 12.03.2004