Anadolu Agency
June 26 2004
Turkish F.M.: Sides In Iraq Should Fulfill Their Responsibilities
ISTANBUL – Sides in Iraq should fulfill their responsibilities and
not make wrong estimations, Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime
Minister Abdullah Gul said on Saturday.
Speaking at a conference ”The New Atlantic Alliance At a New
Crossroads” jointly organized by Turkish Economic and Social Studies
Foundation (TESEV) and U.S. think-tank organization German Marshall
Fund, Gul said that he supported the idea of change in the Islam
world, but there were some conditions before that change.
Gul noted that those conditions could occur by establishing
partnership not intervention, and with the support of regional
countries not by imposition.
Turkey was not playing a role as a model, Gul stated.
Gul said that a democratic Iraq, the territorial integrity of which
was not deteriorated and the sources of which were used by its own
people and for the sake of its own people, would be the supported of
peace and welfare in its region.
Turkey would continue to extend every kind of support to people of
Iraq, which was undertaking a new era, Gul pointed out.
Gul said that success reached in Iraq’s transition period would be
for everybody’s benefit.
Turkish Foreign Minister Gul said that ongoing political conflicts in
Iraq and Palestine did not help regional social and economic reform
perspectives.
Those political problems would not be a reason to delay some urgent
responsibilities, Gul pointed out.
Gul said that countries should abide themselves by changing
conditions and fulfil some responsibilities due to new threats.
Security was face to face with some threats from terrorism to
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Gul stated.
Gul said that Turkey would play an important role in solution of
regional chronic problems thanks to its relations with two sides of
Atlantic.
Turkey’s geographical location and its historical and cultural
heritage offered good opportunities to Turkey to contribute to
regional security, cooperation, Gul stated and stressed that Turkey
did not miss those opportunities.
Gul said that Turkey’s attitude towards peaceful settlement of the
Cyprus issue bewildered many people.
The real target was to protect security and rights of Turkish
Cypriots, Gul stated.
Gul expressed Turkey’s expectation that the international community
to lift unjust and inhumane limitations on Turkish Cypriots.
Turkey’s importance would increase thanks to its European Union (EU)
membership process, Gul said.
Gul said that ”he was surer today than any time” that the EU would
start negotiations with Turkey.
Missions Turkey had undertaken in Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina and
Afghanistan had been appreciated, Gul stated.
Gul noted that Turkey continued its efforts aiming at solution of
Karabakh issue and restoration of stability in Georgia.
Any step that Armenia would take to end its occupation of Azerbaijani
lands would help final solution of Upper Karabakh dispute, Gul
pointed out.
Gul said that Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad al-Alawi demanded that NATO
train Iraqi security forces, and noted that this could be one of
NATO’s contributions to Iraq when replying to a question on possible
contributions of NATO to Iraq.