RIYADH: Turkish President Abdullah Gul said yesterday that Arab and Muslim countries should not depend on the United States alone for peace in the Middle East.
He stressed that Ankara would continue its efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, saying it would be its greatest contribution to world peace.
“The bloodbath in the Palestinian territories must stop and Palestinian ranks should be united. It is the duty of everybody.
We should not leave the solution in the hands of the new American administration alone but help it to establish peace in the region,” the president said while speaking to reporters in Riyadh.
He said Turkey, both as member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and NATO, would continue to play the role of a possible bridge between the Muslim world and the West.
“Turkey has been in a pivotal geopolitical position and recent months have only highlighted the unique nature of Turkey’s dual role,” said Gul, when asked whether his country’s bid for EU membership would be hampered because of its intense involvement in the affairs of the Middle East and Islamic world in general.
Answering a question on the effect of the Gaza onslaught on Turkish-Israeli relations, Gul said: “Our relations with Israel must be utilized for stability in the region.
Had it not been the Gaza blitzkrieg we could have made a major breakthrough in Syrian-Israeli peace negotiations.”
Gul, who arrived in Jeddah later as part of his four-day official visit, said the Palestinian issue was at the core of his meetings with Saudi officials. Overcoming the division and establishing national unity in Palestine would be given top priority, he said while expressing Turkey’s full support for the Arab peace initiative, which was originally proposed by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
“We hope Israel would also consider this initiative for lasting peace,” he added.
The Arab peace initiative calls for Israel’s return to the 1967 borders, a “just solution” to the problem of Palestinian refugees and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. In return Arab states would consider the conflict over and normalize relations with Israel.
Gul said he appreciated King Abdullah’s efforts to reconcile Palestinian rivals Fatah and Hamas by hosting a meeting in Makkah in 2007.
He hoped that two Palestinian groups could restart negotiations to form a national unity government. He called on all related parties to take action to revive the Arab plan.
Gul, who will be meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara early next week, said that Turkey would support every country, every faction and every individual who seeks peace.
Source: Arab News