Prime Minister Gul Meets With Ambassadors Of Six Countries

ANKARA - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul met with ambassadors of six countries, which are neighbors of Iraq regarding the solution of the Iraqi problem by peaceful means.
Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis, who also attended the meeting talked to the press after the meeting.
Yakis said that the meeting was continuation of the peace initiative started in Istanbul, adding ''we want to continue this process. The Prime Minister encouraged the Ambassadors to continue their efforts also during the Feast of Sacrifice holiday.''
Yakis said that the ambassadors tried to get the view of Turkey asking Prime Minister if there was still chance for peace, adding ''we told them that all means should continue to be tried.''
Yakis stressed that Iraq had to have a more active cooperation with U.N. weapon inspectors, give up its weapon program, and not to constitute a threat for regional and neighboring countries.
When asked if a heads of states summit would be held in Damascus, Syria within the scope of Turkey's peace initiative, Yakis said that ''if such a decision is taken, it can be held. But now there is an Arab League meeting on the agenda, therefore such a meeting can't be held in Damascus until that meeting. Nevertheless we keep the issue of holding a summit in Damascus on the agenda.''
When asked if Turkey would take part in the foreign ministers meeting of Arab League, Yakis said they got invitation for the meeting and that Turkish Ambassador to Cairo Korkmaz Haktanir was searching the method of obtaining an observer status. ''Maybe we can participate in the meeting as a guest,'' he said.
Upon a question about the secret visit of Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan to Ankara, Yakis said that they gave information to the ambassadors about that visit and that they gave Ramadan firsthand messages given to the Iraqi side to date.
When reminded about the letter U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan sent to Turkey and Greece calling them to sit at negotiation table as guarantor states, Yakis said that he was not informed about it yet. Yakis said that Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou brought onto agenda such an issue during his visit to Ankara, adding that ''as Greece is also the guarantor country, this issue can be evaluated within the scope of guarantorship.''