Turkey steps up diplomacy over İran nuclear dispute

The foundation for diplomacy over Iran 's nuclear impasse is firm enough to proceed, said Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday, also confirming Turkey has come up with multiple proposals for a peaceful resolution of the problem. Turkish diplomacy is stepping up as Ankara conveys its impressions of its talks with Iranian officials with Washington and other Western states. Following intensive diplomatic talks with Iranian leaders to try to reduce the tension over Tehran 's controversial nuclear program, Turkey is focusing its efforts on relaying its impressions to Washington and other Western actors. "There is a strong ground for diplomacy, and we believe we can proceed on that ground," Davutoglu told a group of reporters yesterday. Davutoglu spoke with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the phone late Wednesday and had a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki yesterday. Davutoglu also said a thorough evaluation of the issue will be made during a planned telephone conversation between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Barack Obama. "The prime minister plans to speak with President Obama," he said. "We're planning steps to be taken. The room for maneuvering has expanded." Turkey has offered to provide a location for the exchange of Iran 's low-enriched uranium with the 20 percent enriched uranium to be supplied by world powers as part of a UN-drafted deal. Davutoglu confirmed that Turkey presented multiple proposals to Iran during discussions in Tehran but declined to elaborate further. "Diplomatic channels are wide open and the room for maneuvering is wide open, too," Davutoglu said. "There is always ground for diplomacy. There are some proposals we are trying to develop; we'll make an evaluation following contacts with the United States ." Diplomatic sources said the only available diplomatic channel regarding the nuclear standoff was the one led by Ankara , adding that Turkey is calling for calm from both Tehran and the West, which has been pushing for tougher sanctions in the wake of Iran 's announcement that it had started work to produce higher-grade uranium. "We advise the two sides to watch their rhetoric. Escalating tension is in nobody's interest," said a diplomat who wished to remain anonymous. Davutoglu yesterday also met with US Undersecretary for Political Affairs William J. Burns, the State Department's number three official. Iran 's nuclear dispute topped their talks, with Davutoglu urging that diplomatic channels be kept open to solve the issue. In related news, speaking to reporters after meeting with his Burkina Faso counterpart Bedouma Alain Yoda, Davutoglu warned that possible passage of an Armenian genocide resolution by a US congressional panel early next month would hinder normalization efforts with Armenia . Stating that the issue was taken up during Foreign Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu's meetings in Washington this week, Davutoglu said, "We're making great efforts for comprehensive peace in the Caucasus ." He further warned that moves such as passing a genocide resolution would harm this objective and called for such initiatives to come to a halt.