Turkey's foreign policy moves in the West and in the East are complementary to each other
President Abdullah Gul made clear on Monday that Turkey's foreign policy moves in the West and in the East are complementary to each other, not contradictory. Gül's remarks came in a speech delivered at an economic summit during the 25th session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in İstanbul. While underlining the importance of favoring a two-state solution in the Middle East process, thus the need for the recognition of Israel as a state, Gül voiced Ankara's firm support for the resolution of the international dispute over Iran's controversial nuclear program through diplomatic means.
"Turkey is in intense commercial and economical relations with both the Western world and Islamic countries. The European Union membership process pursued by our country and its efforts within COMCEC are complementary elements of our foreign policy, but are not elements which exclude each other," Gül told the gathering in his opening speech.
Citing recent intensified contacts with the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as with neighboring countries such as Iraq and Syria, with whom Turkey has established high-level strategic cooperation councils, Gül urged support for Turkey's foreign policy moves.
While touching upon the stalled Middle East process, Gül delivered separate warnings to the parties involved. Without having a resolution of the Palestinian issue with the establishment of a Palestinian state, the capital city of which is East Jerusalem and which lives beside Israel with secure and recognized borders, it is impossible to maintain peace and stability in the region, he said.
Turkey will continue playing a "facilitator" role in regards to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, Gül said, while urging the international community to use diplomatic means for solution of the issue. Meanwhile, Gül asked OIC member-countries for support in order to ease the international isolation of the KKTC, which is recognized only by Turkey. KKTC leader Mehmet Ali Talat, who also delivered a speech at the summit, complained that OIC member-countries were hesitant to take concrete steps toward easing his people's isolation, Today's Zaman reported.
"Turkey is in intense commercial and economical relations with both the Western world and Islamic countries. The European Union membership process pursued by our country and its efforts within COMCEC are complementary elements of our foreign policy, but are not elements which exclude each other," Gül told the gathering in his opening speech.
Citing recent intensified contacts with the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as with neighboring countries such as Iraq and Syria, with whom Turkey has established high-level strategic cooperation councils, Gül urged support for Turkey's foreign policy moves.
While touching upon the stalled Middle East process, Gül delivered separate warnings to the parties involved. Without having a resolution of the Palestinian issue with the establishment of a Palestinian state, the capital city of which is East Jerusalem and which lives beside Israel with secure and recognized borders, it is impossible to maintain peace and stability in the region, he said.
Turkey will continue playing a "facilitator" role in regards to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, Gül said, while urging the international community to use diplomatic means for solution of the issue. Meanwhile, Gül asked OIC member-countries for support in order to ease the international isolation of the KKTC, which is recognized only by Turkey. KKTC leader Mehmet Ali Talat, who also delivered a speech at the summit, complained that OIC member-countries were hesitant to take concrete steps toward easing his people's isolation, Today's Zaman reported.
