"Many positive statements on Palestine but only a few positive examples"

ANKARA (A.A) - Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek said Wednesday that there were many positive statements on Palestine but only a few examples. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Cemil Cicek at his office in the Turkish Parliament on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters while meeting Abbas, Cicek said that they were highly pleased with Abbas's frequent visits to Turkey. In November 2007, President Abbas had delivered a speech at the Turkish Parliamentary General Assembly. The speech was important as a note on Palestine in history, Cicek noted. As Turkey, we consider the Palestine issue as one of ours. As a nation and state, we make efforts to preserve your rights, establish your own state and see our Palestinian brothers and sisters reach tranquility, peace and rights. You are the best witness of our efforts, Cicek stressed. Our wish is to see Palestine act in unity. You have made great contributions to the process in Palestine and we appreciate them. While we hope to see the Palestine issue get solved in a fair and permanent fashion, we make efforts so that the living standards of Palestinians go higher, Cicek noted. In addition to our government, the Turkish Parliament is on the side of your right cause, Cicek underlined. Peace, stability, tranquility and security in this geography depend on our Palestinian brothers' and sisters' receiving their rights, Cicek said. As long as the Palestine dispute continues, there will not be tranquility and peace in the region and this would reflect on the whole globe, Cicek emphasized. The solution of the Palestine issue would make this geography peaceful, Cicek said. Unfortunately, Israel to date has not taken the necessary steps on the Palestine issue. Israel continues settlements on Palestinian territory. If the Islamic world acts in solidarity, those supporting Israel would have to re-evaluate their acts, Cicek said. -"We will continue our struggle and not give up our rights"- President Abbas, in his part, said that he was highly pleased to be at the Turkish Parliament. We are in touch with you knowing that the Palestine issue is also an issue of Turkey, Abbas stressed. We have seen Turkey's sincerity and believe that Turkey would continue to support us until the Palestine issue gets resolved. Turkey gives us not only political support but also support in such fields as economy, education and culture, Abbas noted. Turkish diplomacy is busy with diverse issues. Yet we know that the Palestine issue tops the list of issues that Turkish diplomacy is involved in. I come to Turkey frequently to exchange views, Abbas said. As Palestine, we have to deal with external matters as well as internal ones. The division of Palestine would be harmful for all of us, Abbas underlined. Touching on the meeting he held with Hamas leader Khaled Meshal in Cairo, Abbas said that they were very close to solving the Palestine disagreement. Abbas said that in a recent meeting in Doha, Qatar on Jerusalem, he extended an invitation to the Muslim world to visit Palestine and help meet the needs of those living in Jerusalem. We will continue our struggle and not give up our rights, Abbas said. We will not stop until an independent Palestine state whose capital city would be Jerusalem gets established, Abbas noted. We will fight against Israel not with weapons but through diplomacy and democracy. Sometimes diplomacy is more effective compared to a war, Abbas said. As long as the Palestine issue is not solved, there will not be stability in the Middle East and in the world, Abbas underlined.