Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA4748
2006-08-15 11:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKISH PRIME MINISTRY STATEMENT WELCOMING
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UNCLAS ANKARA 004748
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS UN UNSC KPAO LE TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH PRIME MINISTRY STATEMENT WELCOMING
RESOLUTION 1701
REF: A. ANKARA 4726
¶B. ANKARA 4711
¶C. ANKARA 4710
¶D. ANKARA 4527
The Turkish Prime Minister's Office released the following
public statement supporting the UNSC Resolution 1701 on
August 14:
BEGIN TEXT/SEMI-OFFICIAL ANATOLIAN NEWS AGENCY TRANSLATION:
A meeting was held today under the chairmanship of the
honorable Prime Minister and with the participation of the
following: General Hilmi Ozkok, Chief of the General Staff;
Abdullah Gul, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister;
National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul; Justice Minister Cemil
Cicek; Land Forces Commander General Yasar Buyukanit, and
other military and civilian officials. Regional developments
and the Lebanese question were discussed at this meeting.
UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1701, which was reached
on 11 August at the end of international efforts to restore
peace in Lebanon, was welcomed at the meeting.
The resolution constitutes an important step to halt the
fighting before the crisis in Lebanon exacerbates and to
reach a lasting solution to the problem. In this way, the
necessary groundwork is being laid to transfer urgent
humanitarian aid to that country.
The acceptance by the concerned sides to halt the fighting as
of 0800 this morning has been assessed as an encouraging
development.
Under the said resolution, once the fighting ends, in
parallel to the deployment of Lebanese forces together with
UNIFIL in south Lebanon, Israeli forces are to withdraw from
the region, UNIFIL's jurisdiction is to be enlarged, and the
number of its personnel is to be increased to 15,000.
We expect these provisions to be crystallized by means of a
new resolution that will be passed by the UNSC in the coming
days.
From the beginning of the1crisis, Turkey has been exerting
diplomatic efforts to stop the negative course of events in
the region, and, at the same time, it has been sending food,
medicine, tents, and other kinds of humanitarian aid to the
Palestinian and Lebanese people. This aid will continue in
the coming period. In accordance with the developments,
Turkey will continue to assess its possible contributions to
the efforts for a lasting solution.
END TEXT.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON