NEW YORK - There was a plan for solution of Palestinian-Israeli dispute on which the widest international consensus had been reached, Turkish State Minister Besir Atalay said late on Wednesday.
Atalay met with United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan together with the Ministers' Delegation formed by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
Following the meeting, Atalay told reporters that the road map, proposed by the Middle East Quartet which was formed by the UN, European Union (EU), the United States, and Russia for the solution of Israeli-Palestinian dispute, as concrete and consistent.
Atalay said that UN and OIC member countries supported the road map.
Turkish State Minister Atalay considered the road map as the most concrete and consistent development recorded in Palestinian-Israeli dispute so far, but said that it might time to put the road map into practice.
Atalay stated that Turkey had always attached importance to developments in Palestine.
Turkish government had taken some new decision after discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian issue at the Council of Ministers and a special parliamentary session, Atalay said.
Atalay noted that former minister Vehbi Dincerler was charged to coordinate economic and social assistance to Palestine and emphasized that Turkey had taken a new decision to appoint an ambassador to Palestine.
The OIC Conference of Foreign Ministers to be held in Istanbul, Turkey between June 14 and 16 would be a very important ground for discussion of Palestine and Iraq issues, Atalay added.
Atalay later proceeded from New York to Washington, where he will meet with representatives of Turkish associations in Washington.
Turkish State Minister Atalay, who went to the United States on Tuesday, is expected to return to Turkey on Sunday.
(BRC-AÖ) 03.06.2004