ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul left for the United States to attend the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly, sources said on Friday.
Prior to his departure, Gul told reporters at Ankara's Esenboga Airport, ''I will first go to Chicago then to New York.''
Gul said, ''during General Assembly meetings I will confirm Turkey's candidacy for a non-permanent member seat to UN Security Council for 2009-2010 period . Turkey has not been a member of Security Council for more than 40 years.''
''I will have tete-a-tete meetings with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in New York. I will also meet foreign ministers of China, Japan, African and Latin American states,'' added Gul.
Gul noted, ''I will assess the recent developments in Cyprus with representatives of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) who will also come to New York.''
Upon a question regarding candidacy of Turkey for UN Security Council membership, Gul said, ''the elections to choose non-permanent members will be held in 2008 and Turkey should finish its preparations until that time.''
(GC-ULG) 17.09.2004