Gul: Relations Between Turkey And The United States Cannot Break Off Easily

ISTANBUL - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Saturday, ''relations between Turkey and the United States cannot break off easily. We should concentrate on the future instead of the motion.''
Gul attended graduation ceremony at Istanbul's Kadir Has University.
Responding questions of journalists, Gul said, ''some circles think that relations between Turkey and the United States came to an end. In fact, these relations cannot break off easily. Also, we have been expending intense efforts to further improve our relations with the United States.''
Recalling that the Iraq war had created a disturbance in the world, and countries such as Britain, Mexico and Canada were affected, and member countries to the European Union (EU) were divided into two groups, Gul said, ''therefore, we should concentrate on the future instead of the motion.''
Pointing out that Turkey had many things to do both in the Middle East and Iraq, Gul said that direction of Turkey was clear to this end.
Stressing that Turkey had been expending all kinds of efforts for normalization of Iraq, Gul said, ''Turkey has become a center of humanitarian aid. We will carry out more significant works in the coming days. We will open two hospitals in Iraq. Turkey can provide electricity to Iraq in future. Therefore, our contribution to normalization of Iraq will show itself in further improvement of our relations with the United States.''
Noting that Turkey had been supporting the peace process and the United Nations Security Council resolution no: 1483, Gul said, ''what I meant to say is that an unimportant problem was experienced in the past. Now, we should concentrate on the future.''
Responding a question about plans to erect a monument in Turkey out of respect to Spanish soldiers, who lost their lives when the Ukrainian plane crashed in northern province of Trabzon last Monday, Gul said, ''Spain is a friend and ally of Turkey. We are extremely sorry about the demise of Spanish soldiers. Such a monument can be erected.''
(UK-MS) 01.06.2003