FM Gul discusses Mideast peace in OIC-Russia talks

"The OIC and the Muslim world cannot remain indifferent about Iraq, about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Gul said ahead of the meeting.

The OIC Ministerial Delegation, formed in an extraordinary April session to conduct talks on the Israel-Palestine conflict as well as on developments in Iraq, met yesterday with Middle East Quartet member Russia.

Gul is a member of the delegation, along with the foreign ministers of Malaysia, Senegal and Morocco.

Yesterday’s meeting in Moscow was the second phase of talks between the OIC Ministerial Delegation and the Middle East Quartet, which comprises the EU, Russia, the United States and the United Nations. The quartet was created to help in the implementation of the Road Map for peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

Gul said issues concerning the situation in Iraq were also on the meeting’s agenda.

The first phase of talks was held between the OIC and EU rotating term president Ireland on Wednesday in Dublin. Turkey was represented at the talks by State Minister Besir Atalay.

Ireland’s foreign minister, Brian Cowen, said after his talks with the OIC: "We will do what we can for the settlement of this conflict. That’s why we convened here today. Our joint efforts with the OIC will continue for peace, for stability."

Foreign Minister Gul added that the OIC Ministerial Delegation would hold talks with other Middle East Quartet members, namely the United States and the United Nations, next week.

Talks with Lavrov
Gul also had talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his Moscow visit, discussing the Middle East and Cyprus issues.

Prior to the Cyprus referenda late in April, Russia, a close ally of the Greek Cypriots, vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution backed by Britain and the United States that aimed to encourage Greek and Turkish Cypriots to back the U.N. plan with the desired security guarantees.

"The main reason for going to Moscow is to engage in discussions on Palestine, but we also want to take advangage of the visit to have a bilateral meeting with Lavrov to renew our ties. I once again have the opportunity to explain recent developments on Cyprus to Russia, which is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council," said Gul.