CUMHURIYET- Columnist Hikmet Bila writes on the improving climate between Turkey and its Western neighbours. A summary of his column is as follows:
Spring breezes are blowing in Turkey's eastern borders even in the middle of winter. Reportedly, the ice between Greece and Turkey began to melt just after the earthquake disasters hitting both countries. But the key event was when the stupid move of kidnapping Ocalan by Greece was uncovered, and then the climate changed all at once. The conversations between Clerides and Denktas in Cyprus are going well. They began to meet four times a week. Both of them are all smiles. It has emerged that there has been an ongoing dialogue over the Aegean between Turkey and Greece. The foreign ministers of both countries, Ismail Cem and George Papandreou, are on the verge of going open with their secret talks. We should not be surprised if we soon hear announcements on an accord regarding the Aegean. With Bulgaria our relations are improving so much that me may sign an alliance agreement. Bulgaria is trying to enter NATO with the support of Turkey. Both countries are exchanging military training courses, sweeping the mines on the border. However, while spring has come to the western borders, winter is still ruling on our eastern borders. Rapprochement was the condition Europe put forth for Turkey. It said Turkey had to solve its problems with Greece - both the Aegean and Cyprus issues- and then ask for admittance. The process developed far more rapidly than expected. Is it possible to explain this sudden spring climate on our western borders with Turkey's promises to the European Union? In his 'State of Union' address, President Bush clearly specified his targets and said that North Korea, Iraq and Iran formed an axis of evil. Two of these countries are Turkey's neighburs. If Syria had weapons of mass destruction, it would have been among them too. It still holds its place on the list of countries which support terrorism and it is still our neighbour. All of a sudden, Bush fingered Iran as another target. There is confusion on the eastern borders. Will the improvement of relations with our western neighbours allow us to turn our attention to our eastern borders?

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION