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Bush,
Erdogan Discuss Anti-Terror Efforts, Turkey's EU Bid |
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Bush, Erdogan Discuss Anti-Terror Efforts,
Turkey's EU Bid
2.10.2006 |
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WASHINGTON,
October 2 ,-- US President George W. Bush on Monday
backed Turkey's push for European Union membership
and hailed joint efforts to fight terrorism as he
met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"I made it very clear to the prime minister, I think
it's in the United States' interest that Turkey join
the European Union," Bush said, as he and Erdogan
smiled and shook hands after talks at the White
House.
The two leaders, speaking to reporters in Bush's
Oval Office, said they had also discussed Iran,
Iraq, Cyprus, the Middle East, as well as efforts to
end violence in Sudan's violence-wracked Darfur
region.
The talks came as Turkey vowed to fight on against
Kurdish separatists despite a rebel ceasefire
ordered at the weekend, saying that the only way out
for them was to surrender.
Neither Bush nor Erdogan explicitly mentioned the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Washington and
Ankara have branded a terrorist group, but both
leaders emphasized the need to combat extremist
violence. |
U.S. President George W. Bush meets with Turkey's
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, on
Monday, Oct. 2, 2006, in the Oval Office at the
White House in Washington.
Photo:AP |
"The joint steps that we have taken in order to
pursue with determination our fight against
terrorism continues to be very important in our
relations. In fact, we do share the same opinion
about forming a joint platform in order to combat
terrorism on a global scale," Erdogan said through
an interpreter.
"We talked about our determined efforts to fight
terror and extremism. We talked about our common
efforts to bring stability to the Middle East," said
the US president.
"We had an important discussion about both Iraq and
Iran. Our desire is to help people of who care about
a peaceful future to reject radicalism and
extremism," said Bush.
The two leaders also discussed Turkey's struggling
bid to join the European Union, even as EU
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn was scheduled to
arrive in Ankara for talks on the issue.
The European Commission -- the EU's executive arm --
will issue a key report November 8 on the country's
progress towards membership, clouded also by
Ankara's thorny ties with Cyprus and growing
criticism that it is failing to ensure freedom of
expression.
Erdogan said that he and Bush had "discussed
Turkey's progress and reforms with regard to the
European Union," specifically Turkey's efforts to
meet political and economic criteria for entry.
"I congratulate the prime minister and his
government for the economic reforms that have
enabled the Turkish economy to be strong for the
good of the Turkish people," said Bush.
He also said that Erdogan had shared "a personal
account of what he saw, the suffering he saw, the
pitiful human condition he personally saw in Darfur."
The prime minister visited a refugee camp in Darfur
during an official visit to Sudan in March.
Erdogan "shared with me his government's anxiousness
to help the people there. And I assured him I share
the same concern. And it's important for the United
Nations and the government of Sudan to take forward
steps to help to end the suffering," said Bush.
AFP
The use of the term "Kurdistan" is vigorously
rejected due to its alleged political implications
by the Republic of Turkey, which does not recognize
the existence of a "Turkish Kurdistan".
Others estimate as many as 40 million Kurds live in
Big Kurdistan (Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Armenia),
which covers an area as big as France, about half of
all Kurds which estimate to 20 million live in
Turkey.
The Kurdish flag flown officially in Iraqi Kurdistan but
unofficially flown by Kurds in Armenia. The flag is
banned in Iran, Syria, and Turkey where flying it is
a criminal offence"
Southeastern Turkey:
North Kurdistan (
Kurdistan-Turkey) wikipedia
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