Meanwhile, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ismail Hakki Karadayi went to France to attend the 21st military committee of NATO's chiefs of general staff, officials from the chief office of general staff said. Although reports have constantly suggested that Turkey virtually had the overland petrol pipeline project designed to carry Azeri petrol to Turkish port facilities signed and delivered, the situation really is that Turkey is having to make a final effort to win both London and Washington over to its side. Top advisor to the Prime Ministry, Emre Gonensay, will set up new meetings in London and Washington to re-state Turkey's position and try to swing more support in Turkey's direction. Russia is still very much in the picture, and with barely two weeks left before final decisions are made, competition has grown fierce.
Turkey hopes to swing the deal at the last moment.
During his visits, Aga has spoken out strongly against Greek attitudes in Thrace and about the problems of the Turkish communities there. Aga said that Greek authorities were trampling on religious rights, freedom of conscience and were unjust in their dealings with the Turkish muslems. Aga stressed that Greek attitudes towards the Turks in Thrace did not agree with Greek claims that it was a European country with democratic support for human rights. The second round of Dublin talks will begin on September 12, when leaders of the northern Iraq factions will come together to try and thrash out solutions to the fighting there. Even now intense initiatives involving Kurdish leaders Mesut Barzani and Celal Talabani are carrying on behind the scenes.