USIA - U.S. Officials Brief on Turkish Prime Minister Yilmaz' Visit, 97-12-19
From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at <http://www.usia.gov>
U.S. OFFICIALS BRIEF ON TURKISH PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ' VISIT
(Five-part "new framework" outlined for enhanced cooperation) (380)
By Rick Marshall
USIA Staff Writer
Washington -- Two senior administration officials briefed the press
December 19, following Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz' visits with
President Clinton, Vice President Gore and Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright.
The main feature of the briefing was the announcement of a "new framework"
agreement between the two countries which would focus on five areas: energy,
trade, investment and economic reform, regional cooperation, security
cooperation, and Aegean and Cyprus issues.
Work in each area will be conducted at the Cabinet and sub-Cabinet level
and be highlighted by several high-level visits of American officials to
Turkey, the administration officials reported.
President Clinton and Prime Minister Yilmaz are expected to meet at the end
of next year, while Secretary Albright is planning a mid-year visit to
review the progress on the five-point plan.
Next month, a deputy U.S. trade representative, Rita Hayes, will visit
Turkey, as will senior representatives from the Treasury Department. A team
under Department of Energy Secretary Federico Pena is also expected in the
country then to "assess progress" on energy issues and the proposed Baku to
Ceyhan pipeline, the officials said.
The officials described Yilmaz' meeting with President Clinton as "very
good" and "longer than anticipated."
The regional political issues in this framework include maintaining
pressure on Saddam Hussein, supporting the Kurds, promoting the peace
process, and combating weapons of mass destruction and terrorism, the
officials said.
Yilmaz also met with the President Clinton's special envoy on Cyprus,
Richard Holbrooke. Both Clinton and Albright asserted their wish to find a
resolution to the island's division. According to the officials, the United
States will be looking to Ambassador Holbrooke to further negotiations on
the matter.
The officials expressed U.S. support for Turkey's eventual candidacy to the
European Union, despite the EU's decision last week not to include Ankara
in its next round of enlargement talks. While it was no secret that Turkey
was disappointed, they said, the prime minister "confirmed that he has not
closed the door" on further discussions with the Europeans.
U.S. officials also said that Yilmaz had affirmed that "human rights is a
top priority of his government."
From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at http://www.usia.gov
|
