ANKARA (A.A) - 30.03.2002 - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Saturday ''occupying territories under control of Palestinian administration, making Palestinian President Yasser Arafat a de facto captive and leaving him deprived of personal safety will cause serious wounds in the region.''
Releasing a statement, Prime Minister Ecevit stressed that clashes between Israel and Palestine had turned into a war threatening whole Middle East.
''Occupying territories under control of Palestinian administration, making Palestinian President Yasser Arafat a de facto captive and leaving him deprived of personal security will cause serious wounds in the region. United Nations Security Council's decision to warn Israel to withdraw from territories it occupied in recent days, is a positive development. However, this decision's influence in practice depends on the United States' warning to the Israeli Prime Minister. I tried to hold a telephone conversation with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. However, I learned that Mr. Arafat's all means of communication were cut. Despite decision taken by the United Nations Security Council, it is extremely distressing that telephone connection with Mr. Arafat was cut,'' he said.
Referring to detention of four Turkish journalists by Israeli security forces, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''it cannot be accepted in regard to freedom of press. We have launched necessary initiatives for release of our journalists.''