Gul and Powell to focus on Iraq issue..

NEW YORK (AA) – Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in New York to participate in the meetings of United Nations General Assembly, will meet with U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell on Wednesday evening.

Diplomatic sources said that Gul and Powell would focus on Iraq issue in their meeting and stated that Powell could give Gul some clues on when they could bring the draft on Iraq to the U.N. Security Council and to what extent they could have compromise with countries such as France, Germany and Russia.

Gul had a meeting with EU Commissioner Chris Patten for foreign affairs on Tuesday. Sources said that Gul told Patten that they were expecting a positive report from the EU Commission. EU Commission will prepare two development reports on Turkey. One of them will be in October 2003 and the other will be in October 2004.

Diplomats said that the important report was the one which would be prepared in October 2004 and stated that EU leaders would decide whether full membership negotiations would start with Turkey or not under the light of this report in the summit in December 2004.

EU sources said that EU appreciated reform packages which were accepted in Turkey and stated that Patten conveyed it to Gul.

Foreign Minister Gul also had a meeting with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.

Diplomats said that the meeting was of great importance for continuation of contact which started between Turkey and Arab League about one year ago.

Foreign Minister Gul would attend a breakfast hosted by Turkish American Business Forum on Wednesday.

Gul will also come together with foreign ministers of some countries and deliver a speech at a summit on Eurasia.

Gul who will attend a meeting on Afghanistan held by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan will meet separately with foreign ministers of Jordan and Bangladeshi and U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell.