TOKYO - Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Monday that it was worrisome that some countries had nuclear, biological and mass destruction weapons and added that Turkey considered right the concerns of Japan regarding North Korea.
Arinc met with Japanese Upper Chamber Chairman Hiroyuki Kurata within the scope of his official contacts in Tokyo, Japan. Arinc, who invited Kurata and Japan-Turkey Friendship Group to Turkey, later visited Japanese Upper Chamber.
Arinc later met with Japanese Lower Chamber Chairman Tamisuke Watanuki.
Kurata hosted a dinner for the honor of Arinc and Turkish delegation.
Releasing a speech in the dinner, Kurata wished success in Turkey's efforts for membership to the European Union (EU).
Arinc, who also released a speech, said that Turkish and Japanese people shared many common values, traditions and friendship, no matter how far they were from each other geographically. He added that Turkey and Japan were model countries which undertook a mission of bridge in their regions.
Noting that there were traces of cooperation with Japan in many important projects in Turkey in economic aspect, Arinc said that it would be for joint interest of two countries to strengthen Turkish-Japanese Economic cooperation and by broadening it to the Middle East and to other parts of the world.
Emphasizing that ''Turkish Year'' celebrations in Japan would provide opportunities not only for Turkey's promotion in Japan but also for Japan's being known better in Turkey, Arinc said that the dimensions of relations between two countries would deepen as two peoples knew each other better.
Arýnc said that foreign policy of Turkey was based on the words of Ataturk, the founder of modern and secular Turkish Republic who said ''peace in the country, peace in the world.''
''Turkey wants lasting peace both in its region and also in the world and it opposes war. In that respect Turkey wants solution of conflicts by peaceful means and keeping the diplomatic channels wide open. Turkey is concerned about the existence of nuclear, biological weapons and weapons of mass destruction in some countries and thinks that Japan is right in its concern about North Korea,'' Arýnc said.
Referring to Iraqi problem in his speech, Arýnc stated that Turkey was a close neighbour of Iraq and that they shared the same geography. Arýnc said that Turkey shared from time to time the views of the U.S. about Iraq and it launched efforts to prevent Iraqi people's cultural and historical inheritance to be damaged. In that respect Turkey wanted to help in the reconstruction of Iraq, Arýnc noted.
Arýnc stated that Turkey believed that the territorial integrity of Iraq had to be maintained, adding ''Turkey is pleased as a dictatorship was overthrown in Iraq, Turkey wants Iraq to be democratic, it respects the ethnic structure of Iraq and believes that all people in Iraq had to be represented. Turkey believes that the natural resources of Iraq belonged to all Iraqi people.''
Stressing that Turkey wanted Japan, Turkey and all concerned countries to take part in reconstruction of Iraq, Arýnc said that particularly the technology of Japan had to be used in this reconstruction process.
(GC-ÖÞ) 02.06.2003