ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul left for Ireland on Wednesday to attend the Mid-Term Ministerial Meeting of Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers.
Prior to his departure, Gul told reporters that the Mid-Term Ministerial Meeting of Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers had been held since 1995.
Gul said that 25 European Union (EU) member countries, candidate countries and ten Mediterranean countries were participating in the meeting.
The meeting was a platform which brought together the EU and Mediterranean countries, Gul noted.
Gul said, ''the aim of these meetings is to create a platform in which peace, stability and economic cooperation can be enhanced in the Mediterranean, in which EU and Mediterranean countries can follow common policies, and in which these countries can create a common understanding.''
Turkey had supported those meetings from the outset as not only a Mediterranean country, but also an EU candidate country, Gul stated.
Gul said, ''economic and cultural aspects also gain importance in these meetings. There is a separate unit under the roof of European Investment Bank and this unit totally addresses the Mediterranean basin. A foundation which will promote Mediterranean culture may be formed in coming days.''
''Issues to be discussed at this meeting are developments in Middle East peace process and regional issues. EU's proposal for a strategic partnership in the Mediterranean and Middle East and EU's new neighborhood policy will be taken up in the meeting. I will also hold bilateral meetings with almost all of the representatives of the Mediterranean countries. I will also meet with representatives of some EU member countries,'' Gul noted.
When he was recalled about the news that Azerbaijani representatives in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA) did not join the voting on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) saying that ''it might cause recognition of Upper Karabakh'', Gul said, ''there is nothing to say. We sent them a letter. We hope that this stance was not conscious. We expect our friendly and sister countries to extend more support in coming meetings.''
(BRC-AÖ) 05.05.2004