(www.cihannews.com) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the government was ready and open for proposals from NGOs regarding any amendments to the much-debated Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code.
Erdogan held a press briefing at Esenboga Airport late on Tuesday following his arrival from Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa where he attended the African Union (AU) summit.
Premier briefed the reporters on his meetings in Ethiopia and said that he had the opportunity to discuss problems on Africa, in particular those in Darfur and Somalia, with several African leaders on the sidelines of the summit, reports Trend.
"I stressed in the summit that it is the common problem of the world to put an end to the wars and conflicts in Africa and to curb epidemics as well as securing a sustainable prosperity and justice," he noted.
Erdogan went on to say that he also sought the support of the AU members for Turkey's temporary membership for the U.N. Security Council for 2009-2010 period.
Asked on the notorious Article 301, Erdogan said that the government opposed the complete annulment of the article, citing similar examples from European countries. However, we are ready for amendments to the article and open to any proposals from NGOs regarding the changes, he added.