ANKARA (AA) - Turkey and Palestine signed on Tuesday a donation agreement worth of 900 thousand U.S. dollars with the aim of developing small and medium size projects in Palestine.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''Turkey has made a donation worth of 1 million U.S. dollars to Palestine since the beginning of the year. Our assistance to Palestinian people will continue in the new year. We hope that Turkey's assistance will contribute to efforts to create an appropriate ground for the peace process.''
''We believe that the upcoming elections in Palestine, the government reshuffle in Israel and the second term in office of President George W. Bush of the United States will provide the relevant sides with significant opportunities for the peace process. Also, we welcome increasing interest of the other countries as well as the United Nation, the United States, the EU and the Russian Federation which prepared the Road Map, in the Middle East peace process. We wish that the parties will well-assess such an opportunity of resumption of the peace negotiations. Resumption of the peace process on a sound ground will play an important role in efforts to put an end to acts of violence in the region,'' he said.
Highlighting importance of holding elections in a fair, transparent and secure atmosphere, Gul said that Turkey was ready to make all kinds of contributions to Palestine to this end.
''Turkey will continue contributing the peace process by benefiting from its good and close relations with the all relevant parties. I will pay a visit to the region in the coming days, and have the chance of extending our support directly to the parties,'' Gul added.
The donation will be used to develop small and medium size projects in Palestine. Turkey makes the donation under its commitments stemming from 1993's Washington and 1996's Paris Donors' Conference.
(UK-A֩
2004-12-21