Foreign Minister Moussa and Cem on regional issues
Regional-Turkey, Politics, 3/23/1998

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa held talks with his Turkish counterpart Ismial Cem about bilateral affairs, the Arab states and Turkey, including military cooperation between Turkey and Israel, the peace process, and the situation in Iraq.

Cem said in a joint press conference with Moussa that they agreed to take measures to enhance the good relations between the two countries and presented his ideas to the Egyptian foreign minister about Turkey's initiative of a regional "good neighbor" policy. He said that this initiative needs positive guidance and input from all the countries of the area, especially from Egypt due to its central position in the area.

Cem said the talks dealt with some of the concerns of the two countries, and remarked on the Turkish - Cypriot problem saying, "We expected a better and more sensitive response by our Arab friends towards this case" as well as from Islamic countries.

Concerning bilateral relations between Egypt and Turkey, Cem said that good relations between two important countries in this area is an aim that should be achieved.

Concerning Syrian - Turkish relations, Cem said there were opposing viewpoints between the two countries and there continue to be some problems, but through the latest discussions with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa, both countries have tried to establish positive relations. He refused to comment on the nature of Turkish accusations directed at Syria during this period.

Regarding the influence of Turkish - Israeli relations on Turkish - Arab and Egyptian - Turkish relations in light of strategic and stability ramifications that this would have on the area, Moussa said the Turkish minister explained that his country's military relationship with Israel is neither a union nor a strategic one. Moussa said that this is good if it is true, and Egypt has no intention of disputing the assurances given by the Turkish minister.

Cem remarked on difficulties the region has witnessed as a result of the Iraqi-UN crisis and said that solving this problem does not depend on an agreement signed between Iraq and the UN, but on overcoming the fundamental causes of this problem which will be dealt with in the proposed Turkish initiative.

Cem did not exclude the possibility of the hoped-for cooperation between Iraq and its neighbors under this initiative, which could include military cooperation, but said that this is not what Turkey is thinking about now.

Previous Stories:
  Cem in Egypt: No Turkey-Israel agreements against Syria   (3/21/1998)
  Syrian - Turkish realtions get boost at OIC's Doha conference   (3/18/1998)
  Cem, Anani conclude talks, affirm call for direct US-Iraq talks   (2/28/1998)

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