World Press on Iran, Turkey and Caucasus (March 23, 2011)

The Los Angeles Times published an article entitled 'Libya operation is a hot potato for allies'. It says that Turkey has objections about the military operation in Libya. Citing an anonymous Turkish official, the newspaper writes that the objectives of the campaign are not clear. "Turkey will never be on the side of pointing a gun at the Libyan people," the newspaper quotes the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. Outside Western Europe, Russia, China and Algeria have demanded that the coalition halt its campaign.

The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet writes that Turkey has offered to contribute five warships and a submarine to international operations in Libya, assets it has stipulated will be used solely for humanitarian and defense purposes.
 

Another article of Hurriyet speaks about the Iranian cargo plane seized in Turkey because the shipment violated U.N. sanctions. The Foreign Ministry did not disclose the content of the seizure, but the U.N. sanctions against Iran ban the export of arms and prohibit nuclear enrichment. Turkish media said that the plane bound for Syria was carrying light weapons, including automatic rifles, rocket launchers and mortars.

"Nowruz, an incentive to build unity" is the title of an article published by Iranian Press TV. Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu says Nowruz highlights the significance of strengthening unity and solidarity among Muslim people across the world, as it is celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.