Words of warning to Athens elicit "Iran gesture" from Ankara
Güncelleme Tarihi:
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was greeted with noteable diplomatic gesture when she arrived in Ankara: news that Turkish authorities had "cancelled a high level visit by an Iranian government member" to the Turkish capital.
US request: Stop high level visits between Iranian-Turkish authorities
Carrying with her to Ankara number of requests from the US administration on the mattter of Iran, Rice's central request aimed at the Turkish government was that high level visits between Iran and Turkey come to an end. Rice arrived in Ankara yesterday from Athens, were she reportedly told the Greek authorities that the US wanted Southern Cyprus to assist Northern Cyprus in emerging from isolation. Rice also reportedly underlined to the Athens administration the importance of "acting responsibly on the subject of EU membership for Turkey." The response gesture from Ankara on the matter of the cancellation of the top level visit by an Iranian authority took place only 3.5 hours after Rice had arrived in Ankara. In a press conference held while the US Secretary of State was holding meetings in the Turkish capital, Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan announced that Iranian National Security Council General Secretary Ali Larijani's request for a visit to Ankara had been rejected, citing a "busy schedule" on the part of certain Turkish authorities.