About us
  |  
Advertising
  |  
Contact
  |  
Get Home Delivery
  |  
RSS
  |  
Share on your site
  |  
MULTIMEDIA
May 26, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 

Davutoğlu has busy diplomatic schedule in New York

26 September 2009 / TODAY'S ZAMAN WITH WIRES, İSTANBUL
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is continuing to meet with foreign ministers in New York and is expected to have talks with 40 more of his counterparts in the four to five days to come.

While meeting with Davutoğlu as part of the foreign minister's high-level meetings in New York during the 64th UN General Assembly, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos said EU-Turkey negotiations will be a priority during the upcoming Spanish presidency of the EU, diplomatic sources reported on Thursday.

Two ministers have also been quoted as saying that the Alliance of Civilizations, launched by Turkey and Spain, has become one of the most successful UN initiatives.

Moreover, Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said, “Austria is not blocking or closing any doors to Turkey's EU membership talks.”

In turn, speaking about Turkey's role in Europe, Davutoğlu said to his Austrian counterpart that it is impossible to write the history of 15-20 European countries without looking through Turkish archives.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said although the Nabucco gas pipeline begins in Turkey and ends in Austria, the EU has not yet opened an energy phase in EU-Turkey negotiations.

While meeting with Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Rocen, Davutoğlu said Turkey will continue to support Montenegro's NATO membership bid. Diplomatic sources said Rocen regarded Davutoğlu's latest visit to Montenegro as successful. The Montenegrin foreign minister is expected to visit Turkey to attend the Southeast European countries summit in October.

Davutoğlu also met with Libyan Foreign Minister Musa Kusa to discuss bilateral relations. Expressing his gratitude for Turkey's strong stance on the Palestinian issue, Kusa said a legal framework should be established to further trade relations between the two countries. Davutoğlu agreed, saying he wants high-level Libyan participation at the 25th anniversary of the Economic and Commercial Cooperation Permanent Committee (İSEDAK) meeting in İstanbul on Nov. 9.

While meeting with Davutoğlu, Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa asked Davutoğlu to build a railway between Bahrain and Turkey and Davutoğlu said this could only be possible after the restoration of the İstanbul-Basra railway as it can be extended to Bahrain, too. In addition, Bahrain said it will support Turkey's bid to host the summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in 2014.

During a meeting with Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno Ugarte, Davutoğlu is reported to have said Turkey had recently opened two embassies, one in Peru and the other in Colombia, and is considering opening an embassy in Costa Rica, as well. Costa Rica does not have a single embassy of an African or predominantly Muslim nation. Ugarte said he may open an embassy in Ankara in the months to come. Davutoğlu was informed about the current situation in Honduras by his Costa Rican counterpart and informed Ugarte about recent developments in the Middle East. Diplomatic sources also said Davutoğlu, speaking with his Georgian counterpart, Grigol Vashadze, had brought up captured Turkish ships in what Georgia considers to be its coastal waters. The two countries reportedly established working groups to begin dealing with the issue in November.

 
Weather
City>>
ISTANBUL
Today Sun Mon
14C°
21C°
15C°
23C°
16C°
24C°
 

© Feza Gazetecilik A.Ş. 2007, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Cad. No: 6, Bahçelievler - İstanbul 34194 Turkey, +90 (212) 454 1454, +90 (212) 454 1497(fax)