PM Erdogan receives Paritzky

ANKARA (AA) – Sources said that during his meeting with Paritzky in the new Turkish Prime Ministry Office, Erdogan said, "any government can’t decide on assassination. Killing of a person (Sheikh Yassin) who was kept in your prisons but later released as he was a quadriplegic person, was unacceptable. What is happening at Rafah refugee camp is unacceptable. All of these deeply harm my people and myself. We are a country that welcomed Jews when they were expelled from Spain in the 15th century. Now the same treatment is imposed on Palestinians. We have to find a way out. We don’t want these developments to destroy our relations with Israel. We feel the need for warning you."

Sources said the guest Israeli Minister had told Erdogan, "thank you for your sincerity. Only a friend can tell these, only a friend can explain these."

Erdogan who said violence could not be overcome with violence and terrorism could not be overcome with terrorism stressed that there were other ways of coping with terrorism and he recalled Paritzky of the terrorist attacks in Istanbul and stressed that terrorism had claimed 40 thousand lives in Turkey, sources said.

Recalling that Turkey had exerted intense efforts for peace in the past, Erdogan said Turkey held talks with neighboring countries as a contribution to peace and Turkey’s initiatives for peace were at a deadlock due to developments in Palestine, sources said.

Sources said that Erdogan stressed Turkey cooperated with neighboring countries to contribute to peace, adding, "however, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon did not support our efforts."

Meanwhile, Paritzky said they did not have pretensions to Palestinian territories and they did not aspire to govern Palestine, sources said.

Sources said Paritzky noted that they targeted to form a "moderate Palestinian leadership", adding that only a moderate leadership could contribute to peace process and they would be very grateful to Turkey if it helped them in that issue.

Stressing that they could endure acts of terrorism against Israel and terrorist elements that took shelter in Palestinian territories, Paritzky asked Erdogan top contribute to peace process and act as mediator as a result of historical ties between Turkey and Palestine, sources said.

Erdogan said everybody who was capable of representing his people, implying Palestinian Head of State Yasser Arafat, should be taken into consideration in case the sides sat at the negotiation table, sources said.

When Erdogan recalled him of prevention of several Turkish parliamentarians who had visited the region last week from passing through a check point with their cars, Paritzky said, "unfortunately, we can’t control every stupid." And Erdogan said, "you can’t control helicopters, too", sources said.

Noting that he condemned every kind of violence stemming from Palestine and Israel, Erdogan said, "you say you can’t find any interlocutor in Palestine. You can’t find any interlocutor because there is not a state any more", sources said.

Regarding the mediation proposal of Paritzky, Erdogan said that they expected Israel to take steps on path to peace, adding that after Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s visit to the region, he could pay a visit to Israel in case of appropriate conditions.