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Lebanon asks Turkey to help mediate
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday spoke by phone with his Lebanese counterpart Fuad Saniora, who requested Turkish mediation for a cease-fire to end the spiraling violence in the Middle East, an official said. The Turkish premier told Saniora Turkey would "make every kind of contribution" for a cease-fire, Erdogan's spokesman, Akif Beki, told The Associated Press, but gave no further information. Predominantly Muslim Turkey has been trying to play a mediating role between Israel and Palestinians and has criticized Israel, a close ally, for using excessive force in its offensives in the Middle East. Earlier on Saturday, Erdogan racheted up the criticism, accusing the country of engaging in ruthless violence. Erdogan also called on the powerful Group of Eight nations, currently meeting in Russia, to reach a joint decision that would allow the United Nations Security Council to establish a cease-fire to end the spiraling violence. Posted by: Fred 2006-07-15 |
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