Former Turkish FM dies

Cem had been hospitalized with a lung infection since Dec. 26.

Politicians and personal friends praised his efforts to improve ties with Greece and contributions to Turkish politics.

Cem served as foreign minister under three successive governments between 1997 and 2003, becoming the longest-serving Turkish foreign minister in recent years. His greatest achievement was forging close ties with Greece, largely due to his personal friendship with Greece's former Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

The rapprochement culminated in a series of cooperation deals including in culture, economy and combatting crime and pledges to work toward tackling the more difficult territorial disputes in the Aegean. The thaw had followed a mutual outpouring of aid and sympathy in the wake of deadly earthquakes that struck both countries in 1999.

"Ismail was a very good friend and I am saddened by this (news) ... Ismail was a man with whom I shared a vision, we worked hard together for this vision of peace," said Papandreou, who is now leader of Greece's main opposition Socialist party.

In 2001, Cem and Papandreou met in the Greek island of Samos, then took a short ferry trip to the Turkish resort of Kusadasi, where Cem clapped while Papandreou and his two brothers performed a traditional Greek folk dance. That year, the two men also traveled to Israel, to show the Israelis and Palestinians that foes can be friends.

Convinced that the Sept. 11 attacks have led to mistrust between the Christian and Muslim worlds, he gathered world leaders in Istanbul soon after, to forge understanding between the two civilizations.

Cem was born Ismail Cem Ipekci, but dropped his last name in the 1970s to distance himself and avoid possible accusations of favoritism by his relative, Abdi Ipekci, who was Milliyet's editor. Ipekci was shot and killed in 1979 by Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turk who attempted to assassinate the Pope.

Cem began his career as a journalist, quickly earning a column in Milliyet newspaper and catching then-Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's eye.

Ecevit appointed Cem director of state-run radio and television in 1972. At 34, he was the youngest person ever to hold the post.

His brief spell as culture minister in 1995 ended before he could achieve his dream of organizing a mass pop concert to benefit survivors of the Bosnian conflict.

When the smooth, Istanbul-born, somewhat aloof city gentleman stood for election in Turkey's conservative heartland in 1995, pundits believed he was fighting a losing battle.

But Cem traveled from coffee house to coffee house, village to village in the traditional province of Kayseri, vowing voters and proving the experts wrong. Four years later, the people of Kayseri re-elected him to parliament.

Cem studied at Lausanne in Switzerland and had a masters' degree from Paris University's prestigious school of political studies.

The smartly dressed intellectual was the author of books on leftist ideology.

An avid supporter of soccer team Galatasaray, he always made time to watch the Turkish champions play, even on foreign visits. His biggest blunder came in 2002 when he accused the Italian police of behavior worthy of Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, following a soccer brawl that involved Galatasaray players.

A keen photographer, he could be seen taking snaps of Ecevit during a tour of the Taj Mahal in India.

Cem is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son. His funeral will be held on Friday in Istanbul, his family said.

Papandreou called Cem's family to express his condolences but it was not clear whether he would attend the funeral. The Associated Press

/The International Herald Tribune/