Beyatli: Cabuk Who Was Elected A Member Of Government Council As Representative Of Turkmens Does Not Have Any Connection With I.T.F.

KONYA - Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Executive Council member Dr. Aydin Beyatli said on Wednesday that they knew Songul Cabuk who was elected a member of the Government Council as the representative of Turkmens, as a translator and she did not have any connection with the ITF, he added.
Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Beyatli said that the Government Council that had been formed in Iraq by the United States would carry out very serious work in the new period to start in Iraq.
Recalling that on behalf of Kurds, Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani and five people who were involved in the struggle had been elected members of the Council which was very important for the future of Iraq, Beyatli said that the same situation had not happened for representation of Turkmens, which had deeply upset them.
Stressing that Songul Cabuk who had been elected a member of the Council on behalf of Turkmens did not have any tie with the ITF which was the real representative Turkmens, Beyatli said, ''we have thirty-six civil organizations. This woman wanted to be a member of our women's branch in Kirkuk. We were seeing her as a translator of Americans. However, she is not a person who actively took part in our struggle and can't represent Turkmens.''
Stressing that ITF Chairman Sanan Ahmet Aga and at least a few more Turkmens should be included in the Council, Beyatli said, ''this situation shows that they want to exclude Turkmens. Unfortunately, Kurds informs U.S. officials on us wrongfully. The Council will prepare the interim Constitution and education, health and culture projects which are very important for Iraq. This woman who does not have any experience in Turkmen case can't defend rights of Turkmens in the decisions and laws to be adopted. We do have serious concerns about it. They should have elected ITF leader Sanan Ahmet Aga and at least a few more Turkmens instead of this woman.''
Recalling that the United States had earlier promised them that Turkmens would be represented by three people in the Council, Beyatli said, ''fair representation brings along fair solution. Turkmens have the same population as Kurds. So also Turkmens should have same number of representatives as Kurds. We will continue to defend our rights through democratic ways. We will launch initiatives for correction of this mistake of the United States which shocked Turkmens.''
(MS-AÖ) 16.07.2003