ANKARA, March 24 (A.A) - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney told Turkish officials during his visit to Turkey that the U.S. attributed great importance to Turkey's becoming a EU member in respect of helping the stability in Europe and the region.
Cheney stated that the U.S. would support Turkey's EU membership in all platforms both during the meeting in the Prime Ministry and also in his meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.
Cheney said that Turkey's EU membership was among the titles in U.S.'s foreign policy for its alllies that has to be supported both in respect of regional security and stability.
Noting that the U.S. applauded the reforms undertaken by Turkey in economic and democratic fields, Cheney said that the U.S. believed that the reforms would be put into practice soon.
Cheney said that Turkey's forming an intercivilizational dialogue by holding a meeting between OIC-EU upon the initiative of Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is very important and it constituted a model to the world.
Cheney said that the Turkish-Greek relations constituted a sample to the world in respect of transition to friendship after many crises in the relations, and he thanked Cem and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou for the role they played in this success.
Cheney noted that the solution of the problem related to European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI) was on the way due to the positive step taken by Turkey.
U.S. Vice President said that the negotiations between the sides in Cyprus were pleasing and he stressed that Turkey had to encourage the Turkish side for reaching a solution.
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told Cheney that the constructive initiatives of TRNC President Rauf Denktas were not responded, underlining the fact that institutions like the EU had to leave the issue to the sides in Cyprus.
Noting that the Cyprus question had to be solved this year in a fair way that recognizes the equality of the Turkish nation, Ecevit said that Greek Cypriots have to digest the Turkish existance on the island as this an important condition of solution on the island.
During his meeting with Cheney, Ecevit raised the Azerbaijani-Armenian problem and said that Ankara-Yerevan relations would develop if Armenia withdraws from the Azerbaijani land which it currently occupies.
About the ongoing violence in the Middle East, Ecevit said the clashes recently turned into a war and he asked the U.S. side to interfere objectively and convince both sides to sit at the negotiation table as soon as possible.
He asked the United States to play a more active role in Israeli-Palestinian clash adding that Turkey was ready to make all kinds of contribution including a meeting between Israeli leader Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Yaser Arafar.
Cheney stated that there was no other country which was closer than Turkey, to Israel and Palestine, and because of this advantage, Turkey should try to reconcile the two sides. He said the United States would strongly support this mission of Ankara.
Cheney also said that his country was offering training and equipment support to many countries including Georgia in their fight against terrorism.
Speaking about the Al-Qaida, Cheney said the organizations had safe houses in 60 countries. ''These terrorists will launch many more Sept. 11s if measures are not taken,'' he commented. He also said that his country feared that this organization could possess mass destruction weapons.
Cheney claimed that if Al-Qaida takes possession of these weapons, it was almost certain that they would launch attacks that would be a hundred times more destructive than Sept. 11 attack.
He said the United State's national target was to eradicate terrorism hundred percent.