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CONTENTS:
• Turkey Discusses Nuclear Swap Deal with Brazil, Iran
• Davutoglu Holds Surprise Damascus Talks with Iraqi Leaders
• Israel to Release Mavi Marmara and Two Other Turkish Ships
• Trade Aspect of US-Turkey "Model Partnership" Taking Shape
• Turkey Steps Up Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan
• Turkish Cypriot President Urges Deal by End of 2010
Turkey Discusses Nuclear Swap Deal with Brazil, Iran
Upon the request of his Brazilian and Iranian counterparts, Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu met with his fellow foreign ministers in Istanbul Sunday. After the meeting with Brazil's Foreign Affairs Minister Celso Amorim and Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Davutoğlu announced that using the Tehran Declaration as a base and keeping all diplomatic channels open, Iran is expected to send a letter in response to technical questions posed by the Vienna Group and the International Atomic Energy Agency. A decision was also reached for Iran to meet with the P5+1 and EU High Representative of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in the second week of September, following the month of Ramadan.
Remarking that the Sunday Meeting marked the first time all three parties had reconvened following the May 18th signing of the Tehran Declaration, Davutoğlu stated; "The primary purpose of the Tehran Agreement was to pave the way for [diplomacy]. The agreement is not a declaration designed to solve the issue, it is instead intended to establish a strong foundation. It still constitutes as being an appropriate foundation from which to provide positive contributions." Noting that Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Mottaki would be answering questions posed by the Vienna Group in a letter, Davutoğlu stated; "We hope that this process which will be initiated by this letter, will contribute to strengthening diplomatic channels." Emphasizing that they have not seen the letter's content, Davutoğlu stated; "There is a general consensus on using Istanbul as a meeting place. We are very pleased to have Istanbul be selected as a location to reach any sort of diplomatic solution and we are willing to do all of the preparations necessary." /Sabah/
Davutoglu Holds Surprise Damascus Talks with Iraqi Leaders
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu appeared optimistic after a series of surprise talks with Iraqi leaders and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, saying there were "positive developments" regarding Iraq's troubled government formation process. Davutoğlu paid a previously unannounced visit to the Syrian capital on Monday for what turned out to be a hectic round of talks with Assad, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Palestinian Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and, most surprisingly, two Iraqi political leaders: former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, whose al-Iraqiya coalition won the country's latest election with a narrow margin of two seats, and Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. "I had talks with Iraqi leaders, all of which went very well," Davutoğlu told reporters before wrapping up his less-than-24-hour visit to the Syrian capital. "I had very extensive meetings with Allawi and al-Sadr. There are positive developments." Turkey says it maintains dialogue with all Iraqi groups but says the new Iraqi government should be broad-based.
Davutoğlu met Allawi at the Turkish Embassy in Damascus and Sadr at a hotel. Sadr praised Turkey's Middle East policies, saying they aim to promote interests of the Iraqi people and the region, and added that he was pleased that Davutoğlu had requested to meet him. Davutoğlu also commended Sadr, saying he and his family have made big contributions to Iraq. "We appreciate your efforts for the unity of Iraq and its future and we see Iraq's fate as our own," Davutoğlu told Sadr, according to sources close to the meeting.
Davutoğlu's talks also focused on a crisis in Turkey's ties with Israel and efforts to unite rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah. Sources close to Monday's meetings said the talks with Mashaal, who lives in exile in Syria, reviewed efforts for reconciliation between the Palestinian groups and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The foreign minister also had both three-way and separate talks with Assad and Hariri, discussing plans to create a free-trade zone among Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan on the basis of an agreement in June. Foreign ministers of the four countries agreed during talks in İstanbul that the free-trade zone will be based on "existing bilateral agreements and practices on free trade and visa exemption" between the parties and will be open to the participation of other countries as well.
In talks with Assad, Davutoğlu also discussed tensions between Turkey and Israel. Both agreed that an international commission should be created to investigate the Israeli flotilla raid. On Iraq, Davutoğlu and Assad agreed that a government that would unite Iraqis and bring stability to the country must be established as soon as possible. They also rejected foreign intervention, saying solutions to the problems of the region should come from within the region, not outside. /Today's Zaman/
Israel to Release Mavi Marmara and Two Other Turkish Ships
The Israeli government has decided to release three Turkish ships it seized after a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on May 31. Following the raid, the Turkish ships were seized and taken to Israeli ports. An official from the Israel Foreign Affairs Ministry verified the report. "All related state offices approved the decision. The decision to release the ships was made to improve relations and restore trust between the two countries," he said.
Talks to return the Mavi Marmara and two other Turkish-owned ships from the flotilla had been held up by Israel's demand the owners undertake not to sail against the blockade, which it says prevents arms smuggling to Gaza's Islamist Hamas rulers. "A decision was made yesterday to allow the ships to leave without further conditions. Turkey has been informed. They will leave soon," an Israeli official said. The Turkish embassy was handling discussions on how to retrieve the ships from Haifa and Ashdod ports, another Israeli official said, but the embassy had no immediate comment.
The return of the ships was one of steps the U.N. Security Council had asked Israel to take a day after the raid. "This was something Israel had to do anyway. There were certain steps Israel needed to take, and this was one of them," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted as saying in Vietnam by state-run Anatolian news agency. "We hope the other necessary steps will be taken," he said. Earlier this week, the Israeli government lifted a travel warning it had issued earlier for Israeli citizens traveling to Turkey as a gesture aimed at normalizing relations between the countries. /Hurriyet, Sabah/
Trade Aspect of US-Turkey "Model Partnership" Taking Shape
Turkey and the US yesterday took the first tangible step in line with the "model partnership" notion introduced by US President Barack Obama to redefine America's relations with Turkey. A project outlined in the Framework for Economic and Commercial Strategic Cooperation, signed by Obama and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last December to launch a new engagement between Turkey and the US on economic and trade issues, officially started Wednesday with the establishment of a new Turkish-US Business Council, to be co-chaired by US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, and State Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan, as part of Caglayan's trade talks in the US.
Aiming to further develop trade ties between the two countries, the new council will play an active role in determining general strategies for improving trade ties between the two countries in addition to its sector-based activities. It will work at both the federal and US state level to bring bilateral trade to a desired level. The new council will organize promotional activities to create awareness about Turkey across the US while facilitating direct contacts between business organizations from both sides. Agreements similar to the recently signed memorandum of understanding with Illinois will be inked with other US states. Ten businesspeople from the US and 12 from Turkey will have seats on the new council, which is set to hold its first meeting in September. The new council is expected to emerge as a permanent cooperation platform for Turkey and the US.
Proceeding from Chicago, Caglayan yesterday visited the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Port of Los Angeles, and local Turkish-US Chamber of Commerce office. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Caglayan said that he and Babacan were tasked by Erdogan to form the trade aspect of the model partnership between Turkey and the US, starting by identifying hurdles to developing trade ties with the US. Stating that Turkey hopes to become one of the world's 10 largest economies by 2023, the centenary of the republic, with a foreign trade volume of $1 trillion, Caglayan expressed belief that his visit would help promote Turkey to US business circles. /Turkish Press Review/
Turkey Steps Up Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan
Turkey yesterday launched its second reconstruction team in Afghanistan, a sign of Ankara's continued commitment to assist Afghan authorities with reconstruction efforts and to help enhance development and stability in the war-torn country. The official opening of the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in the northern province of Jowzjan came a day after a major international conference in Kabul endorsed plans for Afghan forces to be in charge of security by 2014. "This is a very good beginning between friends. The Turkish-Afghan friendship has deep historical roots, and it will always endure," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said during the opening ceremony in Sheberghan, Jowzjan's capital. "Serving Afghanistan is no different than serving Turkey," Davutoglu added, adding that his own family's roots lie in Greater Khorasan, a historic region that covered parts of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Turkey, a key contributor to international efforts to help reconstruction in Afghanistan following a nine-year war with the Taliban and other insurgent groups, has opened 34 schools and a hospital in northern Afghanistan, Davutoglu also said, pledging that these efforts will continue. The Turkish PRT in Jowzjan will assist Afghan authorities' efforts in the development and training of Afghan personnel, including security personnel, to improve their capacity to deal with day-to-day challenges. The Jowzjan PRT is built on the same model used in Turkey's existing PRT in the province of Wardak. That PRT, led by a civilian and protected by military forces, has been functioning since 2006. More than 30 PRTs function across Afghanistan. /Turkish Press Review/
Turkish Cypriot President Urges Deal by End of 2010
Marking the 36th anniversary of Turkey's intervention in Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot President Dervis Eroğlu called for a peace deal on the divided island by the year's end Tuesday, warning that failure could wipe out the last chance of a settlement with the Greek Cypriots. The island's rival communities have been locked in U.N.-sponsored peace talks since September 2008, but there is little sign of tangible progress in overcoming the divisive consequences of the Turkish intervention 36 years ago. "Our neighbors in the south are holding elections next year, that is why drawing out the negotiations will eliminate the chance for an agreement, or at least shelve the matter for a very long time," said Eroğlu. "The end of this year is a turning point. If we, the leaders, act responsibly, it should be possible to reach a settlement by the end of the year," he told a ceremony in Nicosia to mark the 36th anniversary of the Turkish intervention.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çicek accused Greek Cypriots of lacking the necessary political will to find a settlement and warned that the division would deepen if the two sides failed to reach a settlement in time. "This is not a process that can go on forever. If the Greek Cypriots and their supporters cannot reach a solution by the end of the year, everyone will continue to follow their own paths," he said.
The reunification of Cyprus would allow Ankara to overcome a major stumbling block in its lagging negotiations to join the European Union. Turkey is obliged to open its ports to Greek Cyprus - an EU member it does not recognize - under a trade pact with the EU, but refuses to do so until the 27-nation bloc fulfills its pledge to ease Turkish Cyprus' international isolation. The row has led to the EU freezing talks in eight of the 35 policy chapters that a candidate country must successfully negotiate prior to membership. Cyprus has been divided since Turkey intervened in the north of the island on July 20, 1974, to protect Turkish Cypriots after a Greek Cypriot coup engineered by the junta then ruling Athens aimed at uniting the island with Greece. /Hurriyet/
