Clearday-TRForce
06-08-2006, 02:52 AM
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is seeking to encourage the revival of the stalled Middle East peace process in talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. In an address to the Israeli Knesset yesterday, Sezer called for talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and is expected to press Abbas for the revival of talks with Israel when he meets with him today.
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/photo/62006/m45669.jpg
We sincerely hope that the Israeli-Palestinian dispute will be settled on the basis of the road map, with the aim of the peaceful coexistence of the two states, and through negotiations,� Sezer said in his speech to the Knesset and was met with applause by the Israeli parliamentarians. �We expect Prime Minister Olmert to start talks with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in the shortest time possible.�
Israeli officials said addressing the Knesset was an honor reserved for important presidents.�
The president also visited Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial where he took part in a wreath-laying ceremony. He did not wear the �kippah,� a head covering usually worn by observant Jews, inside the memorial.
Sezer met yesterday with Israeli President Moshe Katsav, Prime Minister Olmert and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni before seeing Palestinian Authority President Abbas today. He has not scheduled any talks with representatives of the Hamas-led government.
In his meeting with Katsav, Sezer said the Palestinian people had made a choice by electing Hamas to government and warned against international restrictions targeting Hamas that could also negatively affect the daily lives of Palestinians, as such moves could be considered �punishment� for Palestinians because of their choice.
TDN
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, on a visit to Israel, addressed the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, yesterday and urged Israelis and Palestinians to work towards a negotiated peace settlement.
Sezer voiced expectation in his speech for talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the near future. We sincerely hope the Israeli-Palestinian dispute will be settled on the basis of the road map, with the aim of the peaceful coexistence of the two states, and through negotiations,� Sezer said. We expect Prime Minister Olmert to start talks with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in the shortest time possible.
Sezer, who is on a three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian areas, avoided talks with the Hamas government, diverging from the position of the Turkish government. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül met with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Ankara in February, despite an Israeli call for countries to boycott Hamas. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has criticized the European Union for cutting off aid to the Palestinian government in an effort to force Hamas to reform.
Since Turkey considers itself a friend of both sides, it has a "responsibility" to help them progress toward peace, said Sezer. Turkey is willing to do whatever it can for its friend Israel in building a lasting peace with its neighbors.
Sezer was applauded by Knesset members. Israeli officials said addressing the Knesset was an honor reserved for important presidents. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Turkish President Süleyman Demirel are among those who have addressed the Knesset in the past.
The president also visited Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, where he took part in a wreath-laying ceremony. He did not wear a kippah, a head covering usually worn by observant Jews, inside the memorial.
Sezer met yesterday with Sezer Olmert and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni before seeing Palestinian Authority President Abbas today. He has not scheduled any talks with representatives of the Hamas-led government.
Sezer's visit follows a trip by Israeli Foreign Minister Livni to Ankara last week, which was widely seen as successful in mending fences after the Hamas visit to Turkey. Gül, when he met with Livni, declined to support Israel's plans for a unilateral pullback from parts of the West Bank and the drawing of its borders on its own and instead called for a negotiated settlement.
TDN
best wishes,
CDTRF
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/photo/62006/m45669.jpg
We sincerely hope that the Israeli-Palestinian dispute will be settled on the basis of the road map, with the aim of the peaceful coexistence of the two states, and through negotiations,� Sezer said in his speech to the Knesset and was met with applause by the Israeli parliamentarians. �We expect Prime Minister Olmert to start talks with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in the shortest time possible.�
Israeli officials said addressing the Knesset was an honor reserved for important presidents.�
The president also visited Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial where he took part in a wreath-laying ceremony. He did not wear the �kippah,� a head covering usually worn by observant Jews, inside the memorial.
Sezer met yesterday with Israeli President Moshe Katsav, Prime Minister Olmert and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni before seeing Palestinian Authority President Abbas today. He has not scheduled any talks with representatives of the Hamas-led government.
In his meeting with Katsav, Sezer said the Palestinian people had made a choice by electing Hamas to government and warned against international restrictions targeting Hamas that could also negatively affect the daily lives of Palestinians, as such moves could be considered �punishment� for Palestinians because of their choice.
TDN
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, on a visit to Israel, addressed the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, yesterday and urged Israelis and Palestinians to work towards a negotiated peace settlement.
Sezer voiced expectation in his speech for talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the near future. We sincerely hope the Israeli-Palestinian dispute will be settled on the basis of the road map, with the aim of the peaceful coexistence of the two states, and through negotiations,� Sezer said. We expect Prime Minister Olmert to start talks with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in the shortest time possible.
Sezer, who is on a three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian areas, avoided talks with the Hamas government, diverging from the position of the Turkish government. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül met with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Ankara in February, despite an Israeli call for countries to boycott Hamas. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has criticized the European Union for cutting off aid to the Palestinian government in an effort to force Hamas to reform.
Since Turkey considers itself a friend of both sides, it has a "responsibility" to help them progress toward peace, said Sezer. Turkey is willing to do whatever it can for its friend Israel in building a lasting peace with its neighbors.
Sezer was applauded by Knesset members. Israeli officials said addressing the Knesset was an honor reserved for important presidents. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Turkish President Süleyman Demirel are among those who have addressed the Knesset in the past.
The president also visited Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, where he took part in a wreath-laying ceremony. He did not wear a kippah, a head covering usually worn by observant Jews, inside the memorial.
Sezer met yesterday with Sezer Olmert and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni before seeing Palestinian Authority President Abbas today. He has not scheduled any talks with representatives of the Hamas-led government.
Sezer's visit follows a trip by Israeli Foreign Minister Livni to Ankara last week, which was widely seen as successful in mending fences after the Hamas visit to Turkey. Gül, when he met with Livni, declined to support Israel's plans for a unilateral pullback from parts of the West Bank and the drawing of its borders on its own and instead called for a negotiated settlement.
TDN
best wishes,
CDTRF