Israel's Olmert pays farewell visits to Gul, Erdogan

Paying a farewell visit, outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose term of office will end in February, was received by President Abdullah Gul at the Cankaya Presidential Palace in Ankara yesterday. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan were also present. The meeting was closed to the press, but Gul and Olmert shook hands for the cameras. Later, Olmert met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Prime Ministry Residence. Erdogan also hosted a working dinner in honor of Olmert, with Babacan also in attendance. Olmert's talks with Gul and Erdogan reportedly focused on the Middle East peace process and Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as the negotiations between Syria and Israel under Turkey's mediation, and how the coming elections in Israel will affect these talks. During the meetings, Israel's embargo on the Gaza Strip was also discussed. In related news, Erdogan had a phone conversation with his Palestinian counterpart Ismail Haniye. The Palestinian prime minister told about Palestine's demand that Israel lift the embargo. Erdogan also reportedly told Olmert about Turkey's views on the issue and what Haniye had said.