Turkey's Ambassador In Washington Logoglu Calls On Grossman To Lift Pressure On Arafat

WASHINGTON D.C. (A.A) - 01.04.2002 - Turkey, which is concerned that clashes between Israel and Palestine in the Middle East would reach to a dimension that would threaten the whole region, continues contacts in the United States within the scope of the calls it makes for peace.
Turkey's Ambassador in Washington D.C. Faruk Logoglu contacted with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Marc Grossman and wanted the United States to exert efforts for the removal of the pressure put by the Israeli army on the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
Diplomatic sources said Logoglu, who launched efforts within the framework of the directives coming from Ankara, and wanted the United States to take steps in line with the U.N. Security Council resolution regarding withdrawal of Israeli forces from Ramallah.
Expressing Turkey's deep concerns, Logoglu wanted the United States to exert intense efforts for a ceasefire and a solution that will bring the sides together.
Diplomatic sources said the United States continiously briefed Turkey regarding the issue, and that approaches of the two countries were parallel.
Turkey said it wanted the blockade on Arafat to be lifted, and a ceasefire to be reached following the withdrawal of Israel from Ramallah, and wants the sides to return the political dialogue mechanism.
Turkey's diplomatic initiatives were conveyed to all the concerned sides during the talks in Ankara.