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President Shimon Peres speaking before the Turkish parliament in Ankara on Tuesday. (Ch. 2)
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Last update - 18:42 13/11/2007
In Turkey, Peres gives first presidential address to Muslim legislature
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and Agencies
tags: Turkey, Tel Aviv, Israel 

ANKARA - In an historic first address to a Muslim state parliament by an Israeli president, Shimon Peres told Turkish lawmakers Tuesday that Israel is ready to end its decades-long conflict with the Palestinians.

In the first speech by an Israeli president before a Muslim legislature, Peres said, "Israel is determined to reach a two-state solution."

Peres expressed the gratitude of Israel to the people in Turkey who opened their doors to Jews when they were expelled from Spain in 1492. Turkish Sultan Beyazid II accepted Jews into the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of modern Turkey, after they were expelled from Spain.
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"Here, they found a home of tolerance where they could freely practice their religion," Peres said in his speech, given in Hebrew and translated into Turkish. "I came here to express my gratitude to Turkey."

Turkey also aided Jews fleeing the Holocaust, including Turkish Jews abroad.

Turkey's President Abdullah Gul and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas were among those in the audience in Turkey's 550-seat Parliament.

Earlier Tuesday, Abbas expressed optimisim on the prospects for peace, following a meeting with Peres in the Turkish capital.

"If peace comes and the occupation comes to an end, Israel will live in a sea of peace," Abbas said at a joint news conference with Peres.

Abbas said his administration was preparing for the upcoming Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland, aimed at relaunching peace negotiations between the two sides after they broke down amid violence seven years ago.

"We are working with our full force to ensure that the meeting in Annapolis is a success," he said.

Turkey asks Peres for a Turkish Cypriot representative office in Tel Aviv

Turkey has requested openning a Turkish Cypriot representative office in Tel Aviv, according to Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who raised the issue at his meeting with President Shimon Peres Monday.

Peres said he would have to discuss the matter with Israel's Foreign Ministry before replying.

The Israeli delegation to Turkey was surprised when Gul broached the matter of Turkish Cyprus at the first meeting. In 1974, following a coup against the democratic Cypriot government by the Greek military junta then ruling in Athens, Turkey invaded Cyprus and occupied the northern half of the island. In 1983 the Turkish minority there declared independence, which is seen by the world, apart from Turkey, as occupied territory of sovereign Cyprus.

Gul told Peres that Israel must halt settlement construction in the West Bank if it wishes to seriously pursue peace efforts with the Palestinians. "Israel's security is important, but one can't ignore Palestinian problems," he said. "Israel must stop building in settlements."

Palestinian leaders, he said, "spread out maps before me and show me the settlement growth. It doesn't leave me much to say on the matter."

Peres told a joint news conference that he believed that Israel could currently make peace with the Palestinians, but cautioned that the process might take time.

Gul told Peres that Damascus should be invited to the Annapolis peace summit at the end of the month, and that Syrian President Bashar Assad "is interested in real peace." Peres said "Assad needs to take action that shows he is serious, and come to Jerusalem."

The two presidents also discussed U.S. congressional legislation - to which Turkey is vehemently opposed - which labels the massacre of Armenians during World War I as a genocide.

"It's not a good idea to spoil relations between Turkey and Israel because of events from 90 years ago," Gul told Peres, "but we can't stand a situation in which every half year the issue is raised in the United States."

Regarding the Iranian nuclear threat, Peres told Gul that it is clear that Iran, which claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, is actually trying to develop nuclear arms. Gul disagreed, but said Turkey would not stand for Iran acquiring nuclear arms.

Peres requested that asked Gul send the Siloam inscription - describing the tunnel digging in King Hezkiya's days in 703 CE and now exhibited in Archaeological Museum of Istanbul - to Jerusalem for Israel's 60th anniversary.


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  1.   Islamist Gul, if you`re not left with "much to say" then shut up! 07:49  |  McQueen 13/11/07
  2.   If you want the office so badly, open it in Jerusalem 07:51  |  McQueen 13/11/07
  3.   Nada, Turkey 07:57  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/11/07
  4.   Canned story: "In Egypt, calls for peace bring waves of rebuke" 07:58  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/11/07
  5.   Turkey should first evacuate Turkish settlements in Cyprus 09:34  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/11/07
  6.   that "issue 90 years ago"... 10:23  |  Ruben 13/11/07
  7.   does gul stand for gullible? stop jewish settlements he requests 10:50  |  victor hardman 13/11/07
  8.   to #6 11:04  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  9.   Israel should say no: 11:09  |  Ron 13/11/07
  10.   Thank you engineer63 11:19  |  Mia 13/11/07
  11.   Turkey 11:44  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  12.   turkey 12:17  |  wiseUP 13/11/07
  13.   to Mia 12:33  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  14.   mia, you imbecile! Northern Cyprus is occupied Greek Cyprus 12:38  |  Doron Katz 13/11/07
  15.   Turkish propaganda 12:39  |  Ruben 13/11/07
  16.   To #8 Engineer; from another engineer regarding armenian 12:41  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist 13/11/07
  17.   to Ruben 13:19  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  18.   to #16 13:30  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  19.   to Doron katz 13:48  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  20.   A real Diplomatic Turkey 14:04  |  Stephen. 13/11/07
  21.   From Mia to Doron 14:06  |  Mia 13/11/07
  22.   Turkey 14:10  |  David 13/11/07
  23.   Forget it Turkey 14:21  |  Stellios Marcou 13/11/07
  24.   to David 14:36  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  25.   To David from MIa 14:48  |  Mia 13/11/07
  26.   To engineer63 & to Mia 14:50  |  Yonni 13/11/07
  27.   to #23 15:00  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  28.   more reports of the blind leading the blind 15:04  |  victor hardman 13/11/07
  29.   To Engineer and Mia 15:11  |  David 13/11/07
  30.   "Sea of peace" = "We will push you into the sea. That`s peace." 15:16  |  McQueen 13/11/07
  31.   to Yonni 15:19  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  32.   To David, and bye to all 15:38  |  Mia 13/11/07
  33.   No end to the dispute if the Palestinians still refuse 15:40  |  Aviv Yaakobi 13/11/07
  34.   Easier Said Than Done. 15:43  |  Cool B 13/11/07
  35.   In the sea 15:47  |  ka 13/11/07
  36.   Israel has ALWAYS been ready for peace 15:48  |  Clickfool 13/11/07
  37.   to David 15:54  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  38.   of course. 16:00  |  khairi janbek 13/11/07
  39.   to victor hardman 16:03  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  40.   PERES SHOULD BE DETERMNED TO MAKE HIS CITIZENS LIVES BETTER 16:08  |  KEVIN 13/11/07
  41.   Congratulations, Israel !! 16:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/11/07
  42.   There was no peace before the "occupation" 16:15  |  Steven 13/11/07
  43.   ABBAS CANNOT BELIEVE HIS OWN FANTASY ! 16:19  |  R.Eason 13/11/07
  44.   Where are all the Turkophobics?? 16:28  |  Ahmet L 13/11/07
  45.   Reply to KA 16:28  |  Lolita Cohen-Zamir 13/11/07
  46.   David/Stockholm 16:33  |  Joe Slovo 13/11/07
  47.   Hrant Dink 16:38  |  Ethel 13/11/07
  48.   Good Job Israel! 16:43  |  Yosemite 13/11/07
  49.   Jobs for Palestinians 16:44  |  Ethel 13/11/07
  50.   End the Occupation! (the one the UN never addresses) 16:45  |  Richard S 13/11/07
  51.   Turkish born Israeli comments #1 16:49  |  Koby 13/11/07
  52.   #2 16:51  |  Koby 13/11/07
  53.   Israel Fixing Problem That US Libs Created 16:51  |  Yosemite 13/11/07
  54.   Palestinian State 16:54  |  Honest Observation 13/11/07
  55.   Palestinian State 16:59  |  Honest Observation 13/11/07
  56.   withdrawel = peace ... so simple 16:59  |  קובי 13/11/07
  57.   I felt sorry for the President of Israel in the Turkish Parliamen 17:09  |  Akram Zekaria 13/11/07
  58.   HEADLINE SHOULD READ: PEREZ RELEASES 400 TO MURDER MORE JEWS 17:10  |  Alon chiloni 13/11/07
  59.   What we hear from israel is peace 17:14  |  Dav 13/11/07
  60.   While Peres was talking in Turkey, Abu Alla, the former prime 17:19  |  Avihu 13/11/07
  61.   I hate to say this but the Muslims, in the end, will win 17:28  |  Christian 13/11/07
  62.   good that Peres came 17:32  |  mehmet 13/11/07
  63.   turkey and all moslem world helped the jews 17:38  |  isaiah 13/11/07
  64.   "Turkey helped Jews fleeing Holocaust" 17:46  |  Jake 13/11/07
  65.   61 isaiah the liar btw Arab lands are full of Jewish blood 17:49  |  Steven 13/11/07
  66.   engineer63 and Mia 17:50  |  David Israel 13/11/07
  67.   wiseUP from Istanbul 17:55  |  David Israel 13/11/07
  68.   Dorin Katz - imbecile is not appropriate as we argue 18:25  |  David Israel 13/11/07
  69.   So funny 18:36  |  Arab All The Way 13/11/07
  70.   northern Cyprus was a victim of greek phanaticism 18:42  |  PARIS 13/11/07
  71.   steve #65 18:48  |  isaiah 13/11/07
  72.   Mehmet - Goot thoughts but..... 18:57  |  David Israel 13/11/07
  73.   Israeli-Turkish relations 19:11  |  Avi Yerushalmi 13/11/07
  74.   We hope so, but the Occupation will end 2750. 19:12  |  El-Birawi 13/11/07
  75.   Zionists and Shabtai Zevi 19:13  |  Dovy 13/11/07
  76.   Jewish-Turkish bonds have natural muscle tone 19:13  |  Basat Tayfun(Turkey) 13/11/07
  77.   "Isaiah" #63, Jews expelled from Spain settled in Christendom too 19:18  |  Jake 13/11/07
  78.   jake, anti-zionism is not anti-semitism 19:20  |  mehmet 13/11/07
  79.   middle west`s starwar part 227 19:24  |  Clod 13/11/07
  80.   Insanity according to Einstein 19:32  |  Jonathan S 13/11/07
  81.   THE REALITY IS THAT ISRAEL HAS LITTLE ROOM TO MANOEUVRE 19:34  |  Patriot 13/11/07
  82.   to #koby and David israel 19:40  |  engineer63 13/11/07
  83.   David Israel, inaccuracies 19:43  |  Jake 13/11/07
  84.   Mehmet, "anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism", what a relief! 19:58  |  Jake 13/11/07
  85.   jake#77 19:58  |  isaiah 13/11/07
  86.   Arab Al The Way - Arab brutality 20:03  |  David Israel 13/11/07
  87.   To "Arab all the way", #69 20:08  |  Jake 13/11/07
  88.   # 80. Johnathan Yes Chaos. 20:11  |  Stephen. 13/11/07
  89.   engineer63 - thanks but 20:12  |  David Israel 13/11/07
  90.   Look in the horses mouth!!!! 20:12  |  Lily 13/11/07
  91.   Turkey is learning from Israel 20:16  |  John 13/11/07
  92.   King Hezekiya 703 CE ?! 703 B.C.E. - Palestinian history books. 20:20  |  Mitch Iginer 13/11/07
  93.   abbas implies that when Israel dies there will be peace ... 20:21  |  felix 13/11/07
  94.   "Arab all the way": You even misquoted the article 20:22  |  Jake 13/11/07
  95.   peace will bring peace 20:26  |  Marcel 13/11/07
  96.   to #76 Basat Tayfun 20:29  |  John 13/11/07
  97.   "Isaiah" you have no idea what you are talking about 20:33  |  Jake 13/11/07
  98.   Jews always a scapegoat 20:35  |  Ethel 13/11/07
  99.   To "Isaiah", Hitler`s quotes from Albert Speer`s memoirs 20:41  |  Jake 13/11/07
  100.   To Isaiah, some more quotes for you 20:43  |  Jake 13/11/07
  101.   # 80 Insanity 20:47  |  Frank 13/11/07
  102.   Reality: End of "occupation" will bring a see 20:55  |  TOMY 13/11/07
  103.   isaiah and jake 20:59  |  David Israel 13/11/07
  104.   Abbas--mistranslation!!!!!!! 21:06  |  Blogowitz 13/11/07
  105.   Jake - you are correct about Karin A 21:09  |  David Israel 13/11/07
  106.   Land: Israel belongs to Israelites 21:13  |  Yussef Gideon aka JI 13/11/07
  107.   Peres - Old, But Not Wise 21:20  |  Tod Zuckerman 13/11/07
  108.   Peres - Old, But Not Wise 21:20  |  Tod Zuckerman 13/11/07
  109.   regarding the Armenian issue being raised 21:33  |  Jay 13/11/07
  110.   Jake: Thank God for the Holy Roman Catholic Church 21:46  |  Ubberman 13/11/07
  111.   Abbas & "Sea of Peace" 22:00  |  Steve 13/11/07
  112.   To "Ubberman" , RE Western Civilization 22:52  |  Jake 13/11/07
  113.   Jake 23:01  |  Ubberman 13/11/07
  114.   Ethal: illusions of grandeur 23:03  |  MAN 13/11/07
  115.   Turkey, Armenia, Christian/Jewish Genocide 23:18  |  Y. Gideon, Isenhower 13/11/07
  116.   Clickfool #36 23:29  |  Stranger on da shore 13/11/07
  117.   Jerusalem Mother Church, Rome the Aunt 23:30  |  Y Gideon, Isenhower 13/11/07
  118.   To Stelios Marcou 23:32  |  Albert 13/11/07
  119.   Y Gideon, Isenhower - Well said 23:49  |  American 13/11/07
  120.   #61 Christian 23:52  |  Neal 13/11/07
  121.   John #96 - About courts and negotiations 00:18  |  David Israel 14/11/07
  122.   Jews in the Diaspora 00:21  |  Ethel 14/11/07
  123.   antisemitism 00:37  |  Ethel 14/11/07
  124.   "End to the occupation will bring peace".Tell Erekat 01:04  |  PETER S.M. 14/11/07
  125.   Ubberman, geez, I wasn`t expecting the Spanish Inquisition 01:05  |  Jake 14/11/07
  126.   We should not appease the antisemitics 01:08  |  Ethel 14/11/07
  127.   Sounds like a History Lesson 01:22  |  Binco 14/11/07
  128.   Ubberman, you forgot to mention Martin Luther 01:31  |  Jake 14/11/07
  129.   Turkey helped Jews fleeing Holocaust 02:05  |  Turk 14/11/07
  130.   WE have come along way 02:13  |  Danite 14/11/07
  131.   #32 Mia 02:29  |  John Allen 14/11/07
  132.   #33 Not to worry. 02:34  |  John Allen 14/11/07
  133.   #36 02:37  |  Moshe 14/11/07
  134.   #21 Mia.... 02:46  |  Lynn 14/11/07
  135.   # 7 Victor hardman.Gul Stands for: Flower/Rose!!! 02:56  |  Josh 14/11/07
  136.   # 3 Genuine Tosefta..Nada is the only thing I can Say Honestly.. 02:59  |  Josh 14/11/07
  137.   # 39 engineer63..victor hardman.I`LL DOUBLEIT AND SAY:CRAP TOO 03:17  |  Josh 14/11/07
  138.   # 117 AND # 119 I SECOND IT.NO DEVIATION (AND NO TURKEY/MUSLIMS 03:21  |  Josh 14/11/07
  139.   Abbas crap 03:25  |  Brod 14/11/07
  140.   # Yussef Gideon aka Jl...WELL SAID BRAVO.THANK YOU.. 03:26  |  Josh 14/11/07
  141.   President Moonbeam? 03:38  |  Yoram 14/11/07
  142.   EREKAT just changed the rules in English.NO Jewish state 04:00  |  PETER S .M. 14/11/07
  143.   74 El Birawi,agreed that israel should get out of the Occupied 04:06  |  lakshmi 14/11/07
  144.   President Peres.Please Go Home.You are Bending far Too Low Enough 04:15  |  Josh 14/11/07
  145.   Jake - On the Jewish Bishop 05:41  |  Peter 14/11/07
  146.   Jake - Most of Continental Western Europe is Catholic 05:45  |  King David 14/11/07
  147.   Sure. Like in Gaza. 05:53  |  Chick 14/11/07
  148.   For an old man he has a poor hostorical memory 06:15  |  Chick 14/11/07
  149.   What the hell is Abbas doing? 06:24  |  Palestinian Prince 14/11/07
  150.   David Israel reply to Arab 06:29  |  Armen 14/11/07
  151.   Turk #129; then why are Jews called "Musevi" in Turkish? 06:53  |  Jake 14/11/07
  152.   To Peter/King David 07:10  |  Jake 14/11/07
  153.   Armen, are you sure about that? 07:28  |  Jake 14/11/07
  154.   Diplomacy, thy name is hypocrisy 07:31  |  David R. Zukerman 14/11/07
  155.   ubberman 08:10  |  maria 14/11/07
  156.   #148 Chick`s faulty memory 08:14  |  Johnboy 14/11/07
  157.   Bible better than Two States 08:26  |  Yussef Gideon aka JI 14/11/07
  158.   The Abdullah factor --(Chick #148) 08:51  |  D.R. Zukerman 14/11/07
  159.   PALESTINIAN Prince.ABBAS doing? Note how Arabs hug&kiss before 09:02  |  PETER S.M. 14/11/07
  160.   Belated news to me (#`125) 09:29  |  D.R. Zukerman 14/11/07
  161.   JOHNBOY`s faulty memory.YOU called Peres senile.Remember! 09:50  |  PETER S.M. 14/11/07
  162.   # 74 El Bawai, Re The table 10:30  |  Dutch 14/11/07
  163.   to david israel 10:31  |  wiseUP 14/11/07
  164.   (cont. ) to david israel 10:36  |  wiseUP 14/11/07
  165.   #61 Christian: I believe you´re right! 11:12  |  Alicia 14/11/07
  166.   A sea of peace is a graveyard: Abbas is not lying! 11:17  |  Alicia 14/11/07
  167.   #107 TOD: maybe Peres´s calling in life was to destroy Israel 11:30  |  Alicia 14/11/07
  168.   # 135 Victor Hardman. A SHORT ADDENDUM. AND TO.# 151 Jake. 14:57  |  JOSH 14/11/07
  169.   # 150 Armen...David Israel reply to Arab 15:11  |  JOSH 14/11/07
  170.   # 109 Jay.regarding the Armenian issue being raised 16:00  |  JOSH 14/11/07
  171.   Read eajc.org 16:02  |  Ethel 14/11/07
  172.   # 105 David Israel. re:The Greeks.. 16:11  |  JOSH 14/11/07
  173.   # 97 Jake Please remember. 16:25  |  JOSH 14/11/07
  174.   Haaretz.My Addendum to # 169 Important Put it Out Please.. 16:29  |  JOSH 14/11/07
  175.   turkey 17:01  |  wiseUP 14/11/07
  176.   # 150 Armen My Addendum ... 17:28  |  Josh 14/11/07
  177.   # 169 Armen ....(THIRD ATTEMPT) 17:49  |  Josh 14/11/07
  178.   # 150 Armen.Just read my last post and this one. IMPORTANT... 20:07  |  Josh 14/11/07
  179.   Josh - Armen 20:44  |  David Israel 14/11/07
  180.   Josh - About the Turkish Kurds. 20:54  |  David Israel 14/11/07
  181.   # 179 David Israel..re:Armen.I`LL BET,YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT THE. 21:32  |  Josh 14/11/07
  182.   Henry Morgenthal`s story 00:01  |  Ethel 15/11/07
  183.   turkey s heading 00:20  |  wiaeUP 15/11/07
  184.   #164. wiseUP - no need to take up others`s causes 03:02  |  Basat Tayfun(Turkey) 15/11/07
  185.   WANTED - unatainable perfection at the expense of the big picture 03:10  |  Basat Tayfun(Turkey) 15/11/07
  186.   WiseUp - USA policy is not always very wise 03:45  |  David Israel 15/11/07
  187.   Ethel Morgenthous story is very good and accurate but not all 03:52  |  David Israel 15/11/07
  188.   Thank you Turkey 19:54  |  Ethel 15/11/07
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