In New York, Babacan calls for immediate cease-fire

At UN headquarters in New York, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday attended a meeting to discuss recent developments in the Gaza Strip. Addressing the meeting on behalf of Turkey, now a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Babacan said that the condition in Gaza is grave. Calling the situation a humanitarian tragedy, Babacan said Israel should end the use of disproportionate force and its ground operation, and that an immediate cease-fire is needed. Babacan also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, saying that solidarity between Palestinians and Arabs is very important. In related news, speaking to the Wall Street Journal, US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley said that Turkey is an important player in this region that the US stays in contact with. "The president, as you know, talks to President Abdullah Gul and has met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on a number of occasions," he added.