Diplomatic activity was as intense as ever in the Turkish capital in April. After going to Georgia at the end of March, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer paid a visit to Azerbaijan on April 4-5, and just a week later, he paid another two-day visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina. In the second naif of the month, Sezer received 'n Ankara President Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffery. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and many ministers from various countries were also among Turkey's guests in April. In the meantime, the respected Ambassador Amin Rianom of Indonesia completed his tour of duty in Ankara, while new distinguished ambassadors from Mexico, Ethiopia and Germany joined the diplomatic community.
 

DIPLOMAT's interview guest in this issue is Mr. Tamer Gazioglu, ambassador of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus. The conversation focused on developments which have taken place in the two years since the Annan Plan Process and the referanda of 2004. What has changed in Cyprus? What are the expectations of the Turkish Cypriots now? Nobody is better placed to answer questions such as these than the only official ambassador of the TRNC.
 

DIPLOMAT also opens its pages to Sadettin Ergec, president of the Iraq Turcoman Front, the organisation which represents the Turcoman community of Iraq. The Turcoman community lives in North Iraq and numbers around three million. Sadettin Ergec informs us about this hidden people who hope to be more widely known and better understood.
 

Our arts pages this month portray one of Turkey's most highly-regarded painters, Nevzat Akoral. This now-retired teacher of painting is known particularly for his rural landscapes, winter scenes and popular spaces. His works are to be found in various museums abroad, as well as in Turkey.
 

DIPLOMAT's travel pages transport the reader to Granada. This important touristic region of Spain is a place where Maghrib and Catholic arts can be seen side by side. Perhaps, in our day and age, it is one of the best places to witness the possibility of the "Alliance of Civilisations".
 

Coming back to Turkey, we also take you to Manisa, a historic city of the Aegean region. Many Ottoman sultans were educated in this ancient feudal capital. Situated less than an hour's journey from Izmir, Manisa is a province which deserves to be visited more often.