YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Turkish President Suleyman Demirel addressed a message to his Armenian counterpart–Robert Kocharian–wherein he informed the latter of the issues discussed during the Istanbul Summit of the OSCE being still urgent. "Some unsettled issues in the Caucasus not only impede the establishment of stability in our region–but also overshadow the possibilities that may be used to develop all-round and strong cooperation," Demirel emphasized.
The Turkish President–in particular–said: "Recently–I had an opportunity to hold separate meetings with Heydar Aliyev and Eduard Shevardnadze. We discussed what could be done to establish peace–stability and prosperity in our region. As we bear collective responsibility for our region–I ought to share my impressions of those meetings with you and offer my opinion on this account."
Demirel emphasized that the international community paid an increasingly growing attention to the problems of the Middle East and South-Eastern Europe. Some positive tendencies toward establishing peace in the region can be observed already now. Demirel–in particular–mentioned the proposals presented by President Robert Kocharian during the Washington Summit of NATO and the Istanbul Summit of the OSCE–adding: "In this view–I would like to freshen my proposal made during the Istanbul Summit regarding the establishment of a multilateral union-forum on cooperation in the Caucasus. I am sure that this idea–approved by Heydar Aliyev and Eduard Shevardnadze–will bring peace–stability and friendship not only to the Caucasus–but also to Eurasia as a whole."
The Turkish President is convinced that at the turn of the century and the millennium–countries bordering on each other have common interests in such issues as stronger peace and stability–and closer cooperation to achieve these goals. Demirel hopes Armenia and Turkey will soon start to act keeping in mind this very concept.
The Turkish President concluded his message by wishing health and happiness to Robert Kocharian and prosperity to the neighboring nation.