According to a written statement by the Presidential Office yesterday, Demirel also held a telephone conversation with Azeri President Haydar Aliyev and Armenian President Levon Ter Petrosyan. Another statement by the Presidential Office said yesterday that Demirel called on the phone Tajikistan President Imamoli Rahmanov and expressed his sorrow for the latest developments in Tajikistan and the murder of the mufti. There have been reports that Greece has stepped up its naval presence around the 12 islands to search for a missing Greek pilot. Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ambassador Onur Oymen met with US Ambassador to Turkey Marc Grossman yesterday. We were ready to receive him and we regret that he will not come.
Turkey believes the best way to solve the problems is through talks.
Primarily in connection with Cyprus and its decades-old problems, Holbrook wanted to visit Cyprus, Athens and Ankara in a big push to finally end the disputes. Following the Aegean Sea flare-up between Turkey and Greece over the miniscule Kardak rocks, Athens has taken a tough line and rebuffed Holbrooke. In response, Holbrooke said at the beginning of the week that he was not now going to visit the region as planned. Turkey however, has shown that its doors are open to Holbrooke whenever he should want to visit. US officials evaluating the cancellation of US Deputy State Secretary Richard Holbrooke's visit to Athens and Ankara, dwelt on some of its major implications.