Turkey's Erdogan calls British PM over several issues

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with his British counterpart Gordon Brown on Friday, officials said.

During the phone conversation, Erdogan and Brown discussed regional issues and bilateral matters, and they also exchanged views on summits on Afghanistan which will take place in both countries.

Erdogan briefed Brown about the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Turkey summit that will take place in Istanbul, and Brown informed him on the international conference on Afghanistan that will be held in London next week.

The two premiers agreed that efforts should be intensified for solution of problems in Afghanistan as soon as possible.

Erdogan and Brown also said the leaders in Cyprus should be assisted in regard to the ongoing negotiation process on Cyprus issue.

PM Erdogan told Brown that some tried to use the "Orams case" to prevent the negotiation process on Cyprus issue from succeeding.

The British Court of Appeals' latest decision on the Orams case dissappointed him, Erdogan said.

The British court ruled Tuesday that a British couple could not keep their holiday villa in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The court of appeal decision upheld an earlier European Court of Justice ruling that will return the property to Meletis Apostolides, whose Greek Cypriot family had to leave the northern part of the island in 1974 after the Cyprus Peace Operation.

/World Bulletin/