By SULEYMAN KURT
Turkey's presence is being felt in the foreign ministers' meeting of the Organization for the Islamic Conferences' (OIC) which brought together 57 Islamic countries in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa on Wednesday. Turkey is pleased with the resolution drafts approved during the meeting that will end today and of the member states' attitudes on the Cyprus issue in particular.
For the first time in the OIC platforms, no counter argument was expressed against the Turkish position. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also met with many of his counterparts. Diplomatic sources interpreting the affirmative atmosphere regarding Turkey said: "Turkey weighs on OIC. We feel it." A r
esolution draft proposed by Turkey on methods to achieve democratization in the Islamic geography was approved. Sources about the sessions held behind the doors said the US was not criticized as strongly as in former meetings. The Iranian nuclear energy program came to the issue during the meetings and a related resolution draft supported "use of nuclear energy for peaceful means".
Again for the first time, there was no view in support of the Greek Cypriot position at the OIC. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was called the "Cyprus Turkish State" in the related resolution draft for the first time. Representatives from the African countries in particular supported Turkish Cypriots in their speeches. Sudan offered to build a political relationship with TRNC. TRNC Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas interpreted the emerging atmosphere by these words, "Greek Cypriots' efforts, as if they are selling whelks in Muslim districts, are no longer effective." Greek Cypriots disturbed by the expression of "state" had sent letters for the member states before the meeting. Lobbying activities held by the Greek authorities just during the sessions obtained no outcome.
A resolution draft on the "democratization" proposed by Turkey found support in the foreign ministers' meeting. The draft will be taken up at the leaders' summit to be held in Mecca at the end of the year. The leaders of the Islamic countries who will convene for the "reform" issue will reach a conclusion on the report presented by the "Wise Men Committee" and approved in Sana'a.
Gul met separately with Prime Minister of Yemen Republic Abdul Qadir Bajamal and President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The talks with Saleh took place at the Ottoman Barracks where there is an Ottoman mosque and the tombs of three Turkish military officials. During conversations between the two diplomats, they decided to build a monument to Turkish martyrdom in Yemen. About 300,000 Turkish soldiers had died as martyrs in Yemen during the Ottoman period.
Yemen Prime Minister Bajamal fully supported Turkey's application for the United Nations (UN) Security Council's temporary membership, "This is not a favor, but a support." Turkey donated $1 million for OIC, Gul presented the donation check to the OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.
Zaman, Sana'a, yemen