Pakistani, Turkish Leaders Discuss Mideast Peace Initiatives

Musharraf (right) with Turkish President Sezer on February 5 (epa) February 6, 2007 -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara today during a regional tour to raise support for a revived Middle East peace process.
Speaking after the talks, Musharraf said he and Erdogan think it's time to find a new way of bringing peace to the Middle East region.

"We believe that this is a time for a new initiative, a new initiative of collecting like-minded countries to contribute towards resolution of the Palestinian dispute, to contribute towards regional peace and peace in this region, and bring in harmony into the Muslim world," he said.

Musharraf met with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on February 5 after arriving in Turkey from Iran.

Musharraf's tour, which coincides with today's meeting of rival Palestinian faction leaders in Mecca, is aimed at reaching consensus among Muslim nations on resolving the conflicts in the Palestinian territories, Iraq, and Lebanon.

(AP)