Katsav to Turkish counterpart: Oslo Accords aided Hamas' win

[Behind the Aegis]

Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who arrived in Israel yesterday for a two-day state visit, is offering his country's assistance in advancing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

The comment came during a speech in Turkish before the Knesset plenum yesterday, during which Sezer called on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to begin talks quickly with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

"We hope that a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be found through negotiations based on the road map, in an effort to establish two states for two peoples," Sezer told the Knesset. "For this we are prepared to offer any support within the framework of our options."

Sezer also met with President Moshe Katsav yesterday, who told him, "Hamas was elected thanks to the Oslo Accords but refuses to recognize them."

Preisdent Katsav said holding talks with Hamas would be tantamount to accepting its rejection of Israel's right to exist.


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