Gul: Liaison Teams Acting In Northern Iraq Do Not Have Weapons Apart From Their Own

ANKARA - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Sunday that Turkish liaison teams acting in northern Iraq provided the security of humanitarian aid convoys, stating that they did not carry any weapons apart from their own.
Gul, who addressed the Diplomacy Journalists Association General Assembly, made evaluations about foreign policy.
Stating that war in Iraq lasted shorter than expected, Gul said they called on the post war situation to be normalized. Gul reminded that the region suffered a lot for a long time.
Expressing his belief that a new order would be set up, Gul said, ''everybody expects this rebuilding to take place in a way that will not damage Iraq's territorial integrity. It should be an administration in which all peoples in Iraq would be represented.''
Gul said Turkey would contribute both to the political and economic rebuilding of Iraq, stating that, ''there may be various opposite views. However, it is a fact that Turkey will be in those affairs. Our businessmen and contractors will be in those affairs.''
Mentioning the news reports that Turkish liaison teams acting in northern Iraq distributed weapons to Turkmens, Gul said many humanitarian aid convoy passed Iraq via Turkey within the scope of the U.N. studies, noting that security measures should be taken in passage of those convoys.
Gul said Turkish liaison teams continued observation together with the U.S. forces, stating that they conveyed their reports to Turkey.
(AY) 27.04.2003