Ardojan promises to develop relations with the Arab states, upon receiving Arab diplomats
Regional-Turkey, Politics, 11/23/2002

The leader of the Turkish Justice and Development party, Rajab Tayeb Ardojan, met at the headquarters of the party yesterday with the Arab ambassadors accredited in Ankara. These 17 Arab ambassadors were all careful to attend the meeting.

Ardojan expressed Ankara's desire and readiness to promote its relations with the Arab states in particular and in all fields. He said that such a cooperation will help the realization of security and stability in the region. He stressed his country's rejection of any military act against Iraq, noting that joining the European Union is the first objective of the new Turkish diplomacy.

Ardojan refused to meet with the Israeli ambassador in Ankara before his meeting with the Arab ambassador, and he invited them yesterday for a special al-Iftar banquet held in honor of the ambassadors of the Islamic states.

Sources at the Turkish foreign ministry expected a comprehensive plan to be drawn to pursue new policies with the Arab states and other countries of the region.

Well-informed sources said the choosing Bashar Yakish as Turkey's foreign minister is but an embodiment of Ardojan desire to develop Ankara's relations with the Arab states, on the ground that he is the only Turkish diplomat who speaks Arabic and that he had served in Damascus, Riyadh and Cairo.

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