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Saturday, December 05, 1998
President Hosni Mubarak said that the good offices he made around two months ago headed off the eruption of war between Syria and Turkey. In an interview to the managing editor of mass-circulated Turkish newspaper "Milliyet", the Egyptian leader unveiled the behind-the-scenes contacts which matched his flurry of endeavours in October when tensions mounted between Ankara and Damascus. Turkey at the time accused Syria of supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and of harbouring its leader Abdullah Ocalan. Mubarak, who starts today a two-day visit to Turkey, told his interviewer when the crisis reached its climax he received message from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries asking him to step in to act as a mediator. Despite his tight schedule in October when Egypt was marking the 25th anniversary of its 1973 victory, President Mubarak launched a series of hectic contacts and shuttle trips to resolve the dispute between Ankara and Damascus. In his interview, beamed last night in full on Turkish TV, the Egyptian leader recounted that during his short visit to Turkey in October, President Suleyman Demirel signalled that the door was still open for diplomacy to defuse tension with Syria. Mubarak said he had immediately spoken by phone to Syrian leader Hafez Al-Assad and flown from Ankara into Damascus for further talks. The Egyptian leader added that the ultimate goal of his endeavours was to stave off war and bring the two parties to the negotiating table at any cost. He urged Turkey to make use of the benefits offered by the accord it sealed with Damascus late, in October, and turn over a new leaf with the Syrians. On the current crisis involving Ankara and Rome over the extradition of leading separatist Ocalan, Mubarak expressed belief that diplomacy could provide a way out, and exhorted the issue be handled calmly. In refusing to hand over Ocalan to Turkey, Italy has said that its constitution precludes the extradition of fugitives wanted by countries applying the death penalty. Meanwhile, the Egyptian leader criticised some European countries for backing militant religious groups, and warned against the dangers involved and consequences. Mubarak this year suggested an international anti-terror conference to be held under the auspices of the UN. President Mubarak today arrives in Ankara for talks with President Demirel on the Middle East peace process and promotion of bilateral relations. Mubarak's sum-mit with Demirel is their sixth in three years. They are scheduled to have a one-on-one meeting and later co-head expanded talks joined by senior officials from both countries. During his visit, Mubarak will be accompanied by a group of Egyptian business men in a clear sign that enhancing trade and economic like will also high feature on the agenda of the discussions with Turkish officials. |
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