In Brussels, Davutoglu tells top EU officials about his talks in Tehran

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday met in Brussels with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule and EU Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. The Iranian nuclear controversy and Turkey's efforts to broker a diplomatic solution dominated their talks, and recent developments in the southern Caucasus were also discussed. "I conveyed my impressions from talks with Iranian officials," Davutoglu told reporters afterwards. Earlier this week Davutoglu met in Tehran with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, and Supreme National Council Secretary General and chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. Asked whether Turkey has a plan to head off possible new UN sanctions on Iran, Davutoglu said there is still room for a diplomatic solution to the standoff, warning that other routes would cause "unnecessary tensions." "A military confrontation with Iran would carry terrible costs not only for the country but also for its neighbors," he added. "We can't remain indifferent to such an important issue happening right on our doorstep. We're not trying to defend one country from others. All we're doing is working to protect global and regional peace." In related news, Davutoglu will participate in an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Tallinn, Estonia today and tomorrow. NATO's new Strategic Concept, NATO reform, enlargement, partnerships, missile defense and Afghanistan will be among the topics discussed.