TURKISH OFFICIALS TO MEET ADVISORS OF U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
Huriyet
28 oct 08
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan sent two foreign policy officials
to meet the advisors of both U.S. presidential candidates Democrat
Barack Obama and Republican John McCain in the United States, Hurriyet
daily reported on Tuesday. (UPDATED)
Ahmet Davutoglu, chief foreign policy advisor to Erdogan and Suat
Kiniklioglu, deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the
Turkish parliament would convey Turkey’s stance on a number of crucial
issues, including PKK terrorism, the so-called Armenian "genocide"
claims, Cyprus and other regional problems, to the advisors of both
candidates, Hurriyet wrote.
The officials are also expected to reiterate Turkey’s desire to
continue cooperation against the terror organization, PKK, and
reaffirm that their country looks favorably on the territorial
integrity of Iraq.
Davutoglu and Kinikoglu would also seek U.S. support to Turkey’s
proposal for the "Caucasus Cooperation Platform".
Turkey would also urge the U.S. presidential candidates to listen to
Turkish views on the so-called Armenian "genocide" claims, aside from
focusing solely on the Armenian claims.
Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million
of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915. Turkey
rejects the claims, saying that 300,000 Armenians along with at least
as many Turks died in civil strife that emerged when Armenians took
up arms, backed by Russia, for independence in eastern Anatolia.
In 2005, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan took a first step
towards resolving the issue by proposing a joint commission of
historians launch an investigation and publish their conclusions,
but the proposal was rejected by Yerevan.
Turkey believes that the opinions Washington imparts to the Armenian
diaspora in the United States would also contribute to the stability
in the Caucasus, Hurriyet wrote.
A warmer period began between Turkey and Armenia, who for more
than a decade have not had any diplomatic relations over Armenia’s
aggression against Azerbaijan, after Turkish President Abdullah Gul
paid a landmark visit to Armenia early September.