Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit pledged Saturday that Turkey would make comprehensive efforts for a just settlement of the disputes between its main regional ally Israel and the Palestinians.
"We deem it a duty to expend utmost efforts for a just outcome in the peace process," Ecevit told reporters after walking out hand-in-hand with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat from a bilateral meeting in Ankara.
Turkey and Israel have built up a strong alliance since the signing a bilateral military cooperation deal in 1990, which drew strong criticism from most of the Arab world and Iran.
But at the same time Ankara has developed close relations with the Palestinians, with whom it has full-fledged diplomatic ties.
Arafat said Saturday he "definitely" expected Turkey's mediation between the Palestinians and Israel in the peace process.
However, in response to the same question Ecevit refrained from making a clear promise, only saying that "Turkey is doing and will continue to do its best."
Ecevit stressed that the Palestinian decision to proclaim statehood on September 13th was not an issue that Turkey should ponder since it had already recognized the Palestinian state.
"September 13th is not a problem for us. Whether it will be postponed or not... this is up to our Palestinian brothers," Ecevit said.
Turkey was one of the first countries to grant a diplomatic recognition to the Palestinian state declared by the Palestinian Liberation Organization in Algeria in October 1988.
Ecevit also wished happy years to Arafat, who celebrated his 72nd birthday Saturday.
The Palestinian President was also scheduled to meet with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer before leaving Turkey later in the day.
Arafat's visit to Ankara comes within the framework of his international drive to garner support for the Palestinian demands after the failure of the Camp David peace talks.
At the end of a tour of Arab nations on Wednesday, Arafat said he had succeeded in winning support for the Palestinian position that east Jerusalem should be the capital of their future state - ANKARA (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
