DAVUTOGLU RENEWS CALL FOR END TO GAZA'S BLOCKADE
Paying a visit to Palestinian Ambassador in Ankara Nabil Maarouf yesterday to mark the first anniversary of Israel's offensive in Gaza, in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday reiterated Ankara's call for an immediate end to Israel's blockade of Gaza. Speaking to reporters, Davutoglu said the "humanitarian tragedy" in Gaza is still continuing, citing a Gaza aid conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt held in March which Turkish leaders often refer to when charging the international community has failed to honor the promises it gave there. "Gaza should be rehabilitated from being an open-prison and a kind of ghetto," Davutoglu said, stressing that everyone has responsibility for Gaza and pledging Turkey's continued efforts to provide humanitarian support to the region. The tragedy in Gaza is also blocking reconciliation among rival Palestinian groups as well as a revival of the Middle East peace process, he said. "If a body has a festering, bleeding wound, this means this body won't be able to think clearly," he explained. "That's why we consider a resolution of the Gaza issue as soon as possible critical for both Israeli-Palestinian talks and the Middle East peace process," he added, implicitly referring to the stalled peace talks between Israel and Syria which were mediated by Turkey until the Gaza offensive. /Today's Zaman/
FM SPEAKS ON TELEPHONE WITH IRANIAN, US OFFICIALS ON NUKE ROW
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu this week spoke separately on the telephone with his Iranian counterpart and the US national security adviser in talks focusing on Iran's controversial nuclear program. Davutoglu discussed economic projects between Turkey and Iran as well as Tehran's nuclear program with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, the Anatolia news agency reported, citing diplomatic sources in Ankara. After his phone conversation with Mottaki, Davutoglu spoke with US Nation Security Adviser Jim Jones about Iran's nuclear program and a summit between Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan set for next month, the same sources added. The conversations came a few days after Iran said Turkey could be a venue for Tehran to exchange nuclear material with Western countries. Iran "does not have a problem with Turkish soil" as the location for an exchange of enriched uranium for nuclear fuel, Mottaki said last month. Davutoglu then welcomed his Iranian colleague's remarks, saying, "Turkey's efforts are well known, and we will continue to do our best to contribute to a peaceful solution." /Hurriyet Daily News/
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL URGES AGAINST ACTS HARMFUL TO NATIONAL UNITY
Chaired by President Abdullah Gul, the National Security Council (NSC) held its last meeting this year at the Cankaya Presidential Palace with the attendance of top government and military officials, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug. A statement released after the meeting said that recent domestic and foreign security developments were discussed in detail during the meeting. "The council members stressed at the meeting that Turkey will resolutely continue to fight terrorism, which seeks to harm the country's unity, integrity and peace," it said. "The council once again reaffirms its faith that citizens will act with common sense in line with contemporary democracy and principles of law and avoid attitudes that would harm feelings of fellowship." It added, "Developments in Iraq, the course of the trilateral cooperation mechanism with Iraq and the US in the fight against terrorism, and relations with Iraq were all assessed in light of the parliamentary elections in that country set for March 7, 2010." Stating that the ongoing comprehensive negotiations between the parties on Cyprus under UN auspices had also been reviewed, the statement said, "The NSC's views on the parameters of a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Cyprus issue were made public in a press release following its June 30 meeting." It added, "As stated in Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's letter to his Greek counterpart on October 30, 2009, it is important that the international community and concerned parties take a more active and encouraging role in the solution process. In this context, the council underlines that steps that could harm the course of the negotiations and an eventual peace solution should be avoided. The council stresses that achieving a just and lasting solution in a timely fashion could be possible if all the concerned parties show the necessary political will." The statement continued, "Recent developments concerning Turkey's European Union accession process, the restructuring of EU institutions after the approval of the Treaty of Lisbon by the member countries, and the results of the EU's December 2009 summit were also discussed." It stressed that speeding up Turkey's membership talks through eliminating political barriers and bilateral problems that are irrelevant to EU regulations and reforms would benefit all parties. /Sabah
MILLIONS OF TOURISTS FLOCKED TO HAGIA SOPHIA, TOPKAPI, AND RUMI MUSEUMS IN 2009
Istanbul's Byzantine architectural wonder, the Hagia Sophia; Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman imperial family for four centuries; and Konya's Mevlana Rumi Museum, which houses the tomb of the 13th century Sufi saint and poet, were the top museums in Turkey in 2009, the Culture and Tourism Ministry announced yesterday. The three state-run museums attracted the largest number of local and foreign visitors in the first 11 months of the year, the Anatolia news agency reported. In addition, the three top archaeological sites on the list, compiled and announced annually by the ministry, were the ancient Greek city of Ephesus near Izmir; Denizli's Hierapolis, also known as Pamukkale, famous for its hot springs; and the Central Anatolian natural wonders in Goreme, Cappadocia. Museums and archaeological sites run by the ministry attracted 20.2 million tourists through November. Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) is a former Byzantine church and former Ottoman mosque in Istanbul. Now a museum, Hagia Sophia is universally acknowledged as one of the world's greatest structures. Topkapi Palace for centuries was the official and primary residence of the Ottoman sultans. The palace was the setting of state ceremonies and royal entertainment and is a major tourist attraction today, containing what are believed to be some of the most holy relics of the Muslim world such as a cloak and sword said to belong to the Prophet Muhammad. The Mevlana Rumi Museum, located in Konya, is the mausoleum of the Sufi mystic known as Mevlana in Turkey or Rumi in Western countries. It was also the dervish lodge (tekke) of the Mevlevi order, better known as the whirling dervishes. /Today's Zaman/