Ankara To Launch An Initiative To Find A Peaceful Solution To Issue Of Iraq

ANKARA - Turkey announced on Thursday that it was ready to host a meeting with the participation of leaders of regional countries in order to find a peaceful solution to the issue of Iraq.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal received ambassadors Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Jordan and Syria, and informed them on Turkey's plans about such an initiative.
Following the meeting, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Yusuf Buluc told reporters, ''during his tour to neighboring countries to Iraq, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul got the impression that these countries wished to use all methods to find a peaceful solution. Upon this development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assessed the opportunity of making an invitation to a meeting with the aim of finding a peaceful solution to the issue of Iraq. Ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Jordan and Syria were invited to the Ministry earlier in the day. During the meeting, the Turkish side announced that it was ready to host a meeting to this end.''
LEADERS OF REGIONAL COUNTRIES INVITED TO ANKARA ON JANUARY 23
Turkey which wants to organize a ''regional forum'' to seek peaceful ways to solve Iraq issue invited leaders of Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Jordan to Ankara on January 23.
Sources said on Thursday that Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal who met with ambassadors of these five countries in Ankara early the same day presented them a draft joint declaration planned to be released by regional countries and invited leaders of these countries to Ankara.
Sources said that Syria welcomed the date of January 23. Meanwhile, other countries are expected to give response until the weekend.
EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY SHAZLY SAYS TURKEY TAKES INITIATIVE ON PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO IRAQ ISSUE
Egyptian Ambassador to Turkey Mohammad Fathi Al-Shazly said on Thursday that Turkey took initiative on a peaceful solution to Iraq issue and added that initiative which was launched by Turkey was to hold a regional forum.
Following the meeting at Foreign Ministry, Shazly said that they received information about results of Prime Minister Abdullah Gul's tour to Middle East countries to find a peaceful solution to Iraq issue.
Stating that Turkey took initiative on that issue, Shazly said that Egypt also supported the issue to be solved through peaceful means.
Noting that Turkish government's initiative was to hold ''a regional forum'', Shazly stated that the forum aimed at regional countries to call Iraq and the United States to take concrete steps to ease tension and end war threat in the region.
Shazly said that proposals not invitation for forum were brought onto the agenda of the meeting and noted that forum would be held in Turkey as it proposed to hold the forum.
Stating that he would convey a dossier on proposal which was made at the meeting to his country as soon as possible, and he would also convey response which he would take from Egypt to Turkish government, Shazly said that Egypt was ready to do its utmost to prevent a possible operation against Iraq.
Shazly said that some proposals on a joint declaration which regional countries were planning to issue were made at the meeting, and added that those were some views on steps which would be taken related to declaration.