Turkey's Gul wants embassy in east J'lem

At inauguration ceremony of Palestinian embassy in Ankara, Turkish president says he 'hopes someday to open embassy in Palestine, in east Jerusalem'. Gul stresses he supports formation of Palestinian state, but warns against one-sided plans

News agencies
Published: 07.18.09, 10:47 / Israel News

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said his country "hopes someday to open its embassy in Palestine, in east Jerusalem". The president made this statement during the inauguration ceremony of the Palestinian Authority's embassy in Ankara Friday evening.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attended the ceremony.

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The Palestinian Maan News Agency reported the new embassy's building was constructed with the assistance of the Turkish government, which Abbas called a “symbol of friendship and brotherhood” between the PA and Turkey.

The ceremony was also attended by PLO head Yasser Abed Rabbo, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki, Chief PLO Negotiator Saeb Erekat, presidential Spokespman Nabil Abu Rdeina and Ambassador to Turkey Nabil Ma’roof.

In a press conference after his meeting with Abbas, the Turkish president expressed his skepticism about the European Union's calls for a deadline for the establishment of a Palestinian state, and warned that such a move may actually harm the cause.

Gul stressed that he supports the formation of a Palestinian state, "but, we believe efforts to achieve this without the consent of the main players will be ineffective, and may even be harmful".

According to the president, Turkey, which holds a non-permanent seat in the United Nation's Security Council, "will do everything in its power for the establishment of a Palestinian state, under the condition that a compromise between the parties is ensured".

Gul said this in response to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana's comments last week that a deadline should be set for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Solana said if the two parties do not reach a compromise, the Security Council should declare the formation of a Palestinian state under a solution backed by the international community.

Meanwhile, Abbas reiterated his demand that Israel follow the guidelines of the Road Map that calls for Israel to halt all settlement activity and for the Palestinians to put an end to all terror activity against Israel.

The Palestinians have announced that they will not return to the negotiations table unless Israel freezes all expansion of settlements in the West Bank.

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