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Turkish parliament to host Peres Turkish MPs host Mid-East leaders
(about 5 hours later)
Shimon Peres is to become the first Israeli head of state to address a Muslim country's parliament when speaks to Turkish MPs in Ankara. The Israeli and Palestinian presidents have addressed the Turkish parliament in Ankara and praised Turkey as an important ally in the peace process.
He has been speaking optimistically about prospects for peace with the Palestinians, whose leader Mahmoud Abbas is also on a visit to Turkey. Shimon Peres's speech was the first to a parliament by an Israeli head of state anywhere in the Muslim world.
Three-party talks are primarily focussing on an industrial zone that Turkey's proposing for the West Bank. He and Mahmoud Abbas also discussed a Turkish proposal to set up an industrial zone in the West Bank.
Turkey is a key regional ally of Israel but criticises its occupation policies. Turkey is keen to take a greater role in Middle East peacemaking.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul told Mr Peres on Monday that Israel must halt settlement construction in the West Bank if it is serious about peace with the Palestinians. The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Ankara says their visit is a public relations coup for Turkey.
Israeli and Palestinian delegations are due to join a US-sponsored conference in Annapolis this month, aimed at re-launching peace negotiations between them, which broke down amid violence in 2000. It comes just weeks before an American-sponsored Middle East peace conference is due to take place in the United States, aimed at re-launching Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, which broke down amid violence in 2000.
Final decision Mr Peres and Mr Abbas met earlier at Turkey's presidential palace for talks on establishing the industrial zone. It is hoped the zone will generate 5,000 jobs in the economically depressed Palestinian territories.
Mr Peres and Mr Abbas met at Turkey's presidential palace for talks on establishing the industrial zone. It is hoped the zone will generate thousands of jobs for Palestinians. Direction and acceleration
Israel has decided to make Annapolis a success, to bring and end to the conflict Israeli President Shimon Peres Mr Peres hailed the Annapolis conference as an "historic opportunity" but warned that it must not turn into "an historic failure".
Mr Peres's speech in Hebrew to the parliament has been hailed as a breakthrough for the state's relations with the Muslim world. Making light of this opportunity could lead to dangerous consequences Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas Speaking in Hebrew, he said that the conference would tackle issues "in depth" and give the peace process "a direction, a framework and acceleration".
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who holds the top political position in Israel's system, described the president's visit as "extraordinary". "Let me underline that Israel is determined to end this disagreement. Peace is in Israel's interest," Mr Peres said.
On Monday, Mr Peres said: "Israel has decided to make Annapolis a success, to bring and end to the conflict, to finally make peace." Palestinian Authority President Mr Abbas issued a similar call in Arabic, in what also was the first address by a Palestinian leader to the Turkish parliament.
Israel's presidency is a largely ceremonial role that caps Mr Peres's political career which has spanned six decades. "Making light of this opportunity could lead to dangerous consequences," he said, speaking through an interpreter.
President Gul became the first former Islamist to serve as head of the secular Turkish state, after his Islamist-rooted AK Party won elections in July. The addresses were delivered in the presence of Turkish MPs and President Abdullah Gul - a former Islamist who had earlier urged Israel to stop its settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.
Mr Abbas is due to give a separate address to parliament after Mr Peres. Back in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who holds the top political position in Israel's system, described the president's invitation to address the Turkish parliament as "extraordinary".
Israel's presidency is a largely ceremonial role that caps Mr Peres's long political career, during which he was the architect of the 1990s Oslo peace process which ran out of steam in 2000.
The visits are taking place on the margins of an economic forum of Turkish, Israeli and Palestinian business people in Ankara.The visits are taking place on the margins of an economic forum of Turkish, Israeli and Palestinian business people in Ankara.