Israel Matzav

Davutoğlu tries to take credit

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is trying to take 'credit' for the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation. (Hat Tip: Joshua I).

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu became intensely involved in the issue after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas initiated a telephone conversation with him on March 31 and informed him of his call to Hamas on March 16. At the time Davutoğlu conveyed his support for Abbas’s announcement, in which he said he intended to visit the Gaza Strip in a bid to end the bitter split with the Hamas movement that governs the territory.

Davutoğlu initiated a telephone conversation with Abbas late on Wednesday night and the two assessed developments regarding the deal between the two Palestinian factions, diplomatic sources told Today’s Zaman on Thursday. Davutoğlu expressed his pleasure over the fact that an agreement had been finally reached, sources said.

“When Abbas called Mr. Davutoğlu on March 31, the latter urged the Palestinian leader for direct talks with Hamas. That conversation was also the reason for Mr. Davutoğlu holding talks with Mr. Mashaal,” a senior Turkish diplomat told Today’s Zaman on Thursday, referring to Davutoğlu’s meeting with the chief of the Hamas political bureau, Khaled Mashaal, at the Turkish Embassy in the Syrian capital on April 6.

Davutoğlu arrived in Damascus on the morning of April 6, completing a less-than-48-hour whirlwind round of diplomacy intended to take the pulse of the volatile Middle Eastern region, which has been prone to sectarian clashes and division. While in Damascus, ahead of his meeting with Mashaal, which was not announced earlier, he met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The tête-à-tête was followed by another meeting between the Turkish and Syrian delegations. Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban, an advisor for political and media affairs to the Syrian presidency, and Davutoğlu’s Syrian counterpart, Walid al-Moallem, also participated in the second part of the talks.

Speaking to reporters in Damascus late on April 6, after his meeting Mashaal, Davutoğlu had expressed optimism for an end to the rift between the Palestinian factions, warning that the recent upheavals in the Middle East region should cause the Palestinian issue to be ignored.

“During the meeting with Mr. Mashaal, our minister urged him to take a positive step towards Abbas’ call, underlining that this rift would otherwise seriously damage the Palestinian cause,” the same Turkish diplomat, speaking under a customary condition of anonymity, told Today’s Zaman. “The issue was also on the agenda for Mr. Davutoğlu’s talks in Cairo,” the diplomat added, referring to Davutoğlu’s visit to Cairo on April 10 for talks with Arab League chief Amr Moussa.

While in Cairo, Davutoğlu spoke with Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi and the top item on the agenda of these talks was Palestine, the diplomat said.

Sorry, but I think the guy is just trying to toot his own horn. Calling everyone up to ask "how's it going" does not constitute playing a major role in anything.

Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, Hamas-Fatah reconciliation

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:34 PM