ANNAN’S AGENDA

The delegation, consisting of ministers from Morocco, Senegal, Palestine and Malaysia, addressed the quartet determined by the United Nations and prepared a comprehensive plan to find a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli issue. In addition, the UN, the US, Russia and the EU term presidencies will take part in the quartet to which the OIC delegation will present the plan. The quartet also prepared a comprehensive road map to halt the bloodshed of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The plan, which includes such basic issues as recognizing Palestine as an independent state and removing obstacles to its economic and social development, is supported by the OIC. Atalay stated that although the context of the plan was valuable, its basis wasn’t so firm, but that the steps taken so far had been fruitful. However, certain basic truths still hold. For example, the UN plan envisages Israel’s unconditional withdrawal from Palestinian territories under the control of the Palestinian administration. However, Israel has rejected this, in one of the chief obstacle to peace efforts.

Actually everybody is wondering about Washington’s stance for solving the problem. For this reason, the success of the UN initiative depends on US confidence in the plan. For Atalay, serious pressure and opening diplomatic channels for the solution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue will be made during the June 14 OIC meeting in Istanbul. During this meeting, the OIC delegation’s contacts with the UN quartet will be evaluated, and at this point Turkey has a duty to continue this pressure at the NATO summit in Istanbul this month. Turkey’s role is very important because Annan is praising Turkey’s constructive stance on the Cyprus issue. Atalay also thanked Annan for his stance and actions on the issue. Turkey has to play a role in what is happening in Palestine. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest messages about Israel also show that he won’t be indifferent to the region.”