ANKARA (A.A) - 06.04.2002 - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Saturday that he hoped that the occupation of Palestine would end.
Following the assembly meeting of his party, Ecevit told reporters that he hoped that a permanent and fair peace would be established between Palestine and Israel as soon as possible.
When asked, ''Erekat announced that all communications have been lost with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Have you received any new information,'' Ecevit said, ''no, I did not receive this information. I heart about this issue from you for the first time. I will later express my views.''
Asked how he evaluated the phone conversation between President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and U.S. President George W. Bush and asked if he would like to make a new statement about the reactions to his definition of the incidents in the Middle East as ''genocide'' Ecevit said, ''I cannot say anything about the things that the president has said. I expressed my views about my expressions which led to discussion yesterday. I, in fact, attribute importance to Israeli people. I am sure that they also share my grief over the incidents.''
Ecevit added, ''I would prefer not to use such a saddening expression. We have close relations with the Jewish people throughout history. I hope that the occupation of Palestine will end and permanent and fair peace will be established between Palestine and Israel as soon as possible.''
When a reporter reminded him about the statement of President Sezer who said that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat could sit at a table in Turkey for peace and asked if they would launch an initiative in this sense, Ecevit said, ''we have been making this call for a long time. We have sent our ambassadors to the region very often. We have made this call in every opportunities and will continue to do so. But, firstly, the United States has to warn the Israeli administration. I feel concern that the incidents will not easily be stopped if the United States does not intervene.''
Upon a question about the extradition of terrorist Cemil Bayik, Ecevit said that he had not received any information yet.
TURK: ISRAELI PEOPLE ARE THE SUCCESSORS OF A NATION THAT HAD SUFFERED MUCH DURING HISTORY AND, IT SHOULD NOT MAKE OTHERS FEEL SAME AGONIES
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said on Saturday that the Israeli people were the successors of a nation that had suffered much during history and, it should not make others feel same agonies.
Asked how he evaluated the Israeli operation on Palestine, Turk said, ''approval of measures implemented by Israeli government cannot even be thought. Israeli people are the successors of a nation that had suffered much during history and, it should not make others feel the same agonies.''
Turk added, ''they have to continue their existence as two states based on the mutual respect on those territories with Palestinian people. None of the sides should apply to terrorist methods in order to reach their targets. Everybody should put an end to this tragedy with common sense.''