Cem, Anani conclude talks, affirm call for direct US-Iraq talks
Jordan-Turkey, Politics, 2/28/1998

Jordan and Turkey expressed their satisfaction that the Iraqi crisis has been defused via diplomatic means.

The two countries also expressed their continuing support for the progress towards establishing a last and justice peace in the Middle East.The remarks were made by the two countries' foreign ministers at a joint press conference held in Amman yesterday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem concluded a two-day official visit to Jordan after holding talks with King Hussein, Prime Minister Abdul-Salam al-Majali and other senior Jordanian officials. Cem discussed joint issues with them, including the recent Iraqi crisis with UN, the peace process and bilateral relations between Turkey and Jordan.

Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Dr. Jawad Anani said, "The King fully supported the efforts being exerted to reintegrate Iraq into the international community."

"The King asserted the importance of opening direct dialogue between the USA and Iraq to discuss issues of mutual concern," Annani told reporters. "I believe that the king had touched upon that idea during one of his telephone conversations with President Clinton," Jordan's foreign minister said in the course of the joint press conference .

"Of course there was no refusal," he said, "but the idea is still being developed."

Both Turkey and Jordan said Iraq needs to comply fully with UN resolutions and said there is a need to overcome the current impasse in the Middle East peace process.

"We know that the Jordanian side, on this particular matter , is more experienced," Cem said. "We have talked about the recent crisis in Iraq," he said," We agreed that Iraq should comply fully with the UN Security Council resolutions."

"But, we also agreed that if Iraq complied then there should be a light at the end of the tunnel," he said, "and the light at the end of the tunnel is that Iraq should enjoy the lifting of sanctions."

Regarding the peace process in the Middle East, Cem stated that they should not give up the process. "Where do you go if you say that the peace process became hopeless?" he asked.

To make a breakthrough in the peace process, Cem asked for an international consensus: "We believe that there should be an international consensus. Countries who have deep interests in this region, the regional parties, should all put their ideas together and say enough is enough."

Previous Stories:
  Jordan's prime minister receives Turkish foreign minister   (2/27/1998)
  Turkish Foreign Minister in Jordan today   (2/26/1998)

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