Last update - 00:00 11/11/2007
President Shimon Peres arrives in Turkey for official visit
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
President Shimon Peres arrived in Turkey on Sunday for an official visit, on the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul.
The visit centers around a tripartite meeting to be hosted by Gul, in which Peres and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will participate.
The three will inaugurate a plan for the development of a Palestinian industrial zone in the West Bank, with Turkish funding.
Backing the plan is the Ankara Forum, comprising industrialists and leading businessmen in Turkey, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The forum had sought to set up an industrial zone at the Erez Crossing with the Gaza Strip, but the project was diverted to the West Bank following the Hamas takeover of Gaza in June.
During his visit, Peres is scheduled to address the Turkish parliament, which will make him the first Israeli leader to address the parliament of a Muslim country. He will also meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan.
On his plane en route to Turkey, Peres said he was confident that Israel and the Palestinians could reach a draft agreement ahead of the Annapolis summit.
"I believe that a great effort will be made, and I have no doubt that all those involved in the matter do not want the summit to fail, and everyone will make an effort in order for it to be a success," Peres said.
Peres also commented on the plan for a West Bank industrial zone, saying that "150,000 jobs for Palestinians will be more useful than 15,000 guns. If we want to strengthen Abbas, we need to create a peace that will be felt by the residents, and won't come from the firing of the guns, but with an increase in the quality of life."