General Staff: Both Sides Expressed Their Regret Over Detention Of Turkish Soldiers And Treatment Against Turkish Soldiers

ANKARA - A joint statement was released on Tuesday about talks between Turkish and Military sides held at the General Staff Headquarters on detention of 11 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq on July 4.
Releasing a statement, the General Staff said, ''the statement said that sides expressed their regret over the event between the two allied countries and treatment against Turkish soldiers during the detention period.''
''Both sides have come to an agreement that continuation of relations between Turkey and the United States extending far back into history is of great importance,'' the statement said.
STATEMENT OF JOINT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION: ''THE COMMISSION REACHED CONSENSUS TO ENSURE BETTER COORDINATION AND COOPERATION IN IRAQ''
The General Staff recalled that the commission convened in Ankara on July 9 and 14 to make investigations regarding the incident which took place in Sulaymaniyah on July 4 with directives of Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and Commander of the United States European Command (COMUSEUCOM) James Jones.
The statement said that General Staff Operation Chairman Gen. Koksal Karabay and U.S. European Forces Command Chief Gen. Sylvester chaired the joint commission talks and stated that military experts, U.S. and Turkish foreign affairs officials also attended the talks.
''The commission discussed U.S. special forces' execution method of operation in Sulaymaniyah and Turkish special forces' activities in north of Iraq. Detention of Turkish soldiers was discussed in detail,'' the statement noted.
The statement said that the commission which evaluated clearly the incident exchanged views on improvement of cooperation for re-settlement of atmosphere of confidence which formed the basis of bilateral relations coming from history.
''The U.S. side noted Turkish side's concerns over treatment to military personnel during this distressing event. Turkish side also noted U.S. side's concerns over activities of Turkish personnel reported in north of Iraq. Both sides expressed their regret over the incident between the two allied countries and treatment against Turkish soldiers during the detention period,'' the statement said.
The statement said that both sides agreed on speedily sharing every kind of information concerning regional security and stability before taking any action and noted that both sides agreed to take additional measures in order to improve their cooperation and coordination.
Both sides have come to an agreement that continuation of relations between Turkey and the United States extending far back into history is of great importance, the statement said.
In the end of this meeting, Turkey and the United States decided to provide a better cooperation and coordination between themselves in Iraq and take every kind of measure to prevent recurrence of similar incidents, it added.
U.S. DEPUTIES SEND A LETTER TO RUMSFELD CRITICIZING DETENTION OF TURKISH SOLDIERS
U.S. deputies who are members of the Turkish Friendship Group at the U.S. House of Representatives, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and criticized detention of 11 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq.
The letter signed by Robert Wexler, Ed Whitfield and Kay Granger said that General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok described the event as a ''serious crisis'' and confidence between the two allied countries Turkey and the United States was hit hard.
In the letter, deputies expressed their concerns that if the event could not be resolved, strategic partnership between Turkey and the United States could be damaged more.
The letter stressed that detention of soldiers of Turkey, which fought shoulder by shoulder in Korea and Afghanistan, was contrary to benefits of U.S. foreign policy.
Criticizing Turkish soldiers' being handcuffed, a method similar with those which were applied to terrorists of Al-Qaeda, the letter said that the United States could have informed Turkish soldiers instead of launching a military operation.
Supporting talks of Turkey-the United States Joint Commission investigating detention of Turkish soldiers, the letter said that such an event could turn into a armed clash and cause casualties.
Noting that the event had damaged bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States, the letter said that both Turkey and the United States should get a full explanation of the event on July 4 in order to overcome it.
Proposing to activate a mechanism of ''confidence-building measures'' to guarantee that 50-year relations between Turkey and the United States would not harm, the letter added that Turkey and the United States had common interests in Iraq, fight against terrorism, NATO, the European Union, Central Asia, Balkans and the Middle East.
(UK-AÖ) 15.07.2003