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Ankara to propose joint NATO-OIC conference in talks with Rasmussen
After wrapping up talks in Athens, Rasmussen arrived in Ankara on Thursday and attended an iftar (fast-breaking dinner) on Thursday along with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that was hosted by the Ankara branch of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
Today, Rasmussen is scheduled to have talks with President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül and Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ.
During today's talks, Erdoğan and Davutoğlu will encourage that Rasmussen establish close contacts with the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Today's Zaman learned from reliable sources.
Ankara will also suggest THAT Rasmussen organize a joint conference by NATO and THE OIC in order to discuss misunderstandings between the Western and Muslim worlds. The Turkish capital is also working on a proposal to establish an institutional communication mechanism between the two organizations. One option for such a mechanism is to appoint special representatives for dialogue between the two organizations, the sources said.
Turkish officials expect Rasmussen to use his visit to Ankara as an opportunity to deliver messages displaying his attention to religious sensitivities and his willingness to seek reconciliation with the Muslim world.
During a NATO summit held in Brussels in early April, Ankara refused to give the go-ahead for Rasmussen's bid to become secretary-general until it received last-minute guarantees that he would reach out to the Muslim world, which was infuriated by the publication of the Muhammad cartoons.
Ankara had said Rasmussen would be a bad choice to replace then-NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, whose term in office expired on July 31, at a time when NATO planned to expand its operations in Afghanistan. The row over Rasmussen threatened the image of unity at NATO's 60th anniversary summit and was resolved only after President Gül received assurances from US President Barack Obama, including pledges that Turkish commanders would be present in the alliance's command and that one of Rasmussen's deputies would be a Turk.
Ahead of his arrival, Rasmussen had already annoyed Ankara with remarks suggesting that differences between Turkey and Greece have been hindering further defense cooperation between NATO and the European Union.
In Athens, Rasmussen had talks with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and Defense Minister Evangelos Meimarakis.
The improvement of NATO-EU relations, the issue of the recognition of the Greek Cypriot government by Turkey, sending extra troops to Afghanistan and Kosovo, the Macedonia issue in regards to NATO's enlargement, NATO-Russia relations and Europe's new defense strategies were on the agenda of Rasmussen's talks with Greek officials, the Cihan news agency reported.
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