Turkish Forum

Category: Iran

  • Iran Must Not be “Targeted” by Missile Shield, Turkey Says

    Iran Must Not be “Targeted” by Missile Shield, Turkey Says

    Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in an interview aired yesterday that his government would object to a potential NATO missile defense system that identified Iran as a particular threat, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Nov. 1).

    “NATO is a defense organization. A defense system is being developed against anyone in the world who has ballistic missiles and does not belong to NATO,” Gul, whose nations is one of the military alliance’s 28 members, told the BBC.

    Ahead of next week’s summit in Lisbon, Portugal, NATO has yet to formalize the reason for a possible European missile shield. Officials from alliance member states have highlighted Iran in making their case for the system (see GSN, Oct. 15). NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen recently, though, avoided discussing particular threats the shield would be intended to counter (see GSN, Nov. 3).

    “Mentioning one country, Iran … is wrong and will not happen,” said Gul, whose government has warming relations with Tehran. “A particular country will not be targeted. … We will definitely not accept that.”

    NATO states are anticipated to determine at the summit whether to officially include missile defense as a core alliance objective. Doing so would allow the organization to move forward with a plan to enhance and integrate national antimissile systems to provide alliance-wide protection.

    Ankara would like to see the missile defense system provide full coverage to Turkey and not only the territory that is close to Iran, say diplomats (Agence France-Presse/Spacewar.com, Nov. 8).

  • Turkey expects to host Iran nuclear talks

    Turkey expects to host Iran nuclear talks

    Turkey expects to host talks between Iran and six major powers on Tehran’s nuclear programme “some time soon”, President Abdullah Gul said on Monday.

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday Iran was ready to hold talks with the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany (known as the P5+1) and that Turkey might be the best venue.

    “As a result of more recent developments, you have also heard that Turkey will host the P5+1 meeting with Iran in Turkey and that is going to happen some time soon,” Gul said at an event in Oxford, England.

    Largely Muslim Turkey is a NATO member and candidate for European Union membership. It has developed closer commercial and political relations with neighbour Iran in the last few years.

    Gul, speaking through an interpreter, said Turkey believed talks were important confidence-building measures and steps towards a diplomatic solution.”

    Many countries are concerned Iran is using a civilian nuclear programme to conceal development of nuclear weapons, something the Islamic Republic denies. Tehran says it seeks nuclear energy only for generation of electricity.

    The failure of talks between Iran and the major powers a year ago led to a tightening of international sanctions against Tehran.

    The eight-year-old stand-off has the potential to ignite a regional arms race.

    Israel and its main ally, the United States, do not rule out a pre-emptive strike to stop Iran getting the bomb.

    Gul said Turkey had seen the consequences of war in the Middle East during the 1990s and during the war in Iraq.

    “To have another war that involves a neighbouring country is not an experience that we would like to live through again. For this reason we are trying to ensure that these problems can be resolved through diplomacy,” he said, at an event hosted by the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

    The “P5+1″ — the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany — has offered talks on Nov. 15-17 in Vienna, an approach welcomed by Iran but not formally agreed to.

    Iran has sent mixed signals over a resumption of talks.

    A senior aide to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that even if Iran did agree to the talks it would not negotiate about its nuclear programme . (Writing by Adrian Croft; Editing by Ralph Boulton)

    via » Turkey expects to host Iran nuclear talks-Gul – Kippreport.com.

  • Iran’s Jalili offers dates for talks with EU – letter

    Iran’s Jalili offers dates for talks with EU – letter

    Nov 9 (Reuters) – Iran’s nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili has written to the European Union foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, saying he is ready to hold talks in Istanbul on Nov. 23 or Dec. 5, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

    In the letter, dated Nov. 9, Jalili does not say what the talks will focus on, but Ashton has said that everything should be on the table, including Iran’s nuclear programme.

    “I wish to reiterate that his excellency Dr Jalili … will be ready to have a meeting on either 23rd of November or 5th of December 2010 in Istanbul,” the letter reads.

    Ashton has a mandate from the six world powers involved in Iran’s nuclear negotiations — the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany — to hold talks with Jalili. The two have been exchanging letters for several months.

    Earlier, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said any talks would not discuss Iran’s uranium enrichment programme.

    via Iran’s Jalili offers dates for talks with EU – letter | Reuters.

  • UPDATE 4-Iran offers dates for talks with powers in Turkey | Energy & Oil | Reuters

    UPDATE 4-Iran offers dates for talks with powers in Turkey | Energy & Oil | Reuters

    * Iran says it’s ready to meet six powers in Istanbul

    * Sends uncompromising signals ahead of any talks

    * Powers want Iran to address nuclear concerns

    (Adds U.S., UK reaction, EU sources, detail)

    By Parisa Hafezi

    TEHRAN, Nov 9 (Reuters) – Iran told world powers on Tuesday it was ready to hold talks in Turkey in late November or early December, but a senior official signalled reluctance to discuss Tehran’s disputed nuclear plans at the meeting.

    Western diplomats have made clear they want Iran to address their concerns about its nuclear programme in discussions that six major powers — the United States, France, Russia, Britain, Germany and China — have offered to Tehran later this month.

    Analysts say rivalries within Iran’s conservative establishment may make it more difficult for the powers to strike any agreements with the Islamic Republic to restrain its nuclear activity, or even to conduct meaningful talks.   Continued…

    via UPDATE 4-Iran offers dates for talks with powers in Turkey | Energy & Oil | Reuters.

  • Turkey expects to host Iran nuclear talks: Gul | Reuters

    Turkey expects to host Iran nuclear talks: Gul | Reuters

    By Anna Yukhananov

    OXFORD, England | Mon Nov 8, 2010 4:09pm EST

    (Reuters) – Turkey expects to host talks between Iran and six major powers on Tehran’s nuclear programme “some time soon,” President Abdullah Gul said on Monday.

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday Iran was ready to hold talks with the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany (known as the P5+1) and that Turkey might be the best venue.

    “As a result of more recent developments, you have also heard that Turkey will host the P5+1 meeting with Iran in Turkey and that is going to happen some time soon,” Gul said at an event in Oxford, England.

    Largely Muslim Turkey is a NATO member and candidate for European Union membership. It has developed closer commercial and political relations with neighbor Iran in the last few years.

    Gul, speaking through an interpreter, said Turkey believed talks were important confidence-building measures and steps toward a diplomatic solution.”

    Many countries are concerned Iran is using a civilian nuclear programme to conceal development of nuclear weapons, something the Islamic Republic denies. Tehran says it seeks nuclear energy only for generation of electricity.

    The failure of talks between Iran and the major powers a year ago led to a tightening of international sanctions against Tehran.

    The eight-year-old stand-off has the potential to ignite a regional arms race.

    Israel and its main ally, the United States, do not rule out a pre-emptive strike to stop Iran getting the bomb.

    Gul said Turkey had seen the consequences of war in the Middle East during the 1990s and during the war in Iraq.

    “To have another war that involves a neighboring country is not an experience that we would like to live through again. For this reason we are trying to ensure that these problems can be resolved through diplomacy,” he said, at an event hosted by the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies.

    The “P5+1” — the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany — has offered talks on November 15-17 in Vienna, an approach welcomed by Iran but not formally agreed to.

    Iran has sent mixed signals over a resumption of talks.

    A senior aide to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that even if Iran did agree to the talks it would not negotiate about its nuclear programme.

    (Writing by Adrian Croft; Editing by Ralph Boulton)

    via Turkey expects to host Iran nuclear talks: Gul | Reuters.

  • Turkey against Nato missile shield targeting Iran

    Turkey against Nato missile shield targeting Iran

    Mentioning one country, Iran… is wrong and will not happen. A particular country will not be targeted…We will definitely not accept that,” he said in an interview with the BBC’s Turkish service, aired on Turkish television. – Reuters Photo

    Turkey's President Abdullah Gul makes a speech during the opening of the Global Economic Symposium, co-organised by Turkish Central Bank and Germany's Kiel Institute, in Istanbul
    Turkey's President Abdullah Gul makes a speech during the opening of the Global Economic Symposium, co-organised by Turkish Central Bank and Germany's Kiel Institute, in Istanbul

    ANKARA: A Nato missile shield project that singles out Iran as a threat will be unacceptable to Turkey, President Abdullah Gul said in an interview broadcast Monday.

    “Nato is a defence organisation. A defence system is being developed against anyone in the world who has ballistic missiles and does not belong to Nato,” Gul said.

    “Mentioning one country, Iran… is wrong and will not happen. A particular country will not be targeted…We will definitely not accept that,” he said in an interview with the BBC’s Turkish service, aired on Turkish television.

    Nato and the United States want to set up a missile shield to protect Europe against what they perceive is a growing threat of short- and medium-range missiles possibly launched from the Middle East, especially from Iran.

    The issue will be high on the agenda of a Nato summit in Lisbon next week, which will also be attended by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev whose country is suspicious of the project despite assurances that it is not aimed at Russia.

    Turkey, Nato’s sole Muslim-majority member, is worried that the project may deal a blow to ties with its eastern neighbour Iran and Russia, which have notably improved in recent years.

    According to diplomats, Turkey also wants the missile shield to protect all of its territory, and not just areas near the Iranian border.

    The Islamist-rooted government in Ankara has taken a softer line on Tehran’s nuclear programme than Western powers, insisting on a diplomatic solution under a nuclear fuel swap deal that it hammered out with the Islamic republic in May, together with Brazil.

    In a move that irked the United States, Turkey voted “no” to fresh sanctions against Iran, adopted by the UN Security Council in June, arguing that the swap deal should be given a chance.

    The country’s close ties with Iran, coupled by a deep crisis in relations with one-time ally Israel, have sparked concern that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government is taking Turkey away from the West. — AFP