Obama encourages Armenian dialogue,seeks a "model" with Turkey
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ANKARA - U.S. President Barack Obama said Monday his views on the 1915 incidents remain unchanged but that he was encouraged by the ongoing dialogue between Turkey and Armenia. He also said Turkey and the U.S. can build a model partnership. (UPDATED)
For special coverage of Obama's Turkey visit Photo Ed: Obama's symbolic visit to Turkey  Photo Ed: Protests to Obama's Turkey visit  "My views (on 1915 incidents) are not changed. What I have been encouraged by a series of negotiations in place between "I want to focus not on my views right now, but on the views of the Turkish and Armenian people. If they can move forward... the entire world should encourage them," added Obama, who had pledged to recognize Gul said "US-Turkey model partnership" Obama said "We can create a model that is a modern international community that is respectful, secure and prosperous and there are not tensions between cultures. This is extremely important. One of the strengths of the Gul said at the conference that he discussed the strategic aspects of relations with the The two leaders also reiterated their commitment in joint fight against terror and said they want to improve economic ties between the two countries.  Meeting with Erdogan Obama met with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan later in the day.  "The  During their meeting, Obama told Erdogan that he would follow up the realization of the guarantees he assured to Turkish officials last week in a bid to overcome  The joint struggle with the terror organization PKK, Turkey-Armenia relations, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the Turkey-mediated Syria-Israel peace talks were among the issues discussed in the meeting between Obama and Erdogan.  Obama arrived in Istanbul late on Monday to make a brief appearance at the U.N. backed Alliance of Civilizations, a forum sponsored by Turkey and Spain to promote understanding between the Western and Islamic worlds.  On Tuesday, he will hold talks with religious leaders, hold a round-table meeting with university students and visit two Istanbul landmarks, the Hagia Sophia church and the Blue Mosque, before leaving Turkey.  Obama speaks at ParliamentObama officially began his Obama slowly climbed the massive flight of stairs and passed through soaring stone columns of red, white and green marble to lay a red-and-white wreath at the huge sarcophagus of Ataturk. He observed a moment of silence under the gold mosaic ceiling. "I am honored to pay tribute to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, a man whose vision, tenacity, and courage put the "As the 44th President of the United States of America, I look forward to strengthening relations between the U.S. and Turkey and supporting Ataturk’s vision of Turkey as a modern and prosperous democracy giving hope to its people and providing 'peace at home, peace in the world'," Obama wrote in the commemorative guest book.  Obama later headed for the Turkish Parliament where he made a speech to lawmakers and met the speaker and the leaders of the policitial parties.  The U.S. president, welcomed by Turkish Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, held separate talks with Deniz Baykal, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, and Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, and Ahmet Turk, the leader of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP.  Tight security measures  Obama is unlikely to make his earlier-promised speech to warm ties with the Muslim world in the first 100 days of his presidency during his
Tight security measures have been taken in both Istanbul and Ankara for Obama's visit. In Ankara many roads on the convoy's route have been blocked, and thousands of policemen from special operations teams have been deployed, while mobile phone jammers have been activated in the area.Â