ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Friday, ''if terrorist groups in Iraq are not allowed to stage actions, reason of presence of Turkish soldiers in the region will become unnecessary.''
Responding questions of journalists about allegations saying that Turkey and the United States had reached consensus on gradual withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from northern Iraq, Gul said, ''these allegations are not true. The whole world know reason of presence of Turkish soldiers in the region.''
''Turkey, as a country defending territorial integrity of Iraq, does not want to send soldiers to any countries. However, if Iraq is taken under control and terrorist groups are not allowed to stage actions, reason of presence of Turkish soldiers in the region will become unnecessary. Turkish Armed Forces will do whatever necessary as long as terrorist groups take shelter in the region,'' he told reporters.
Upon a question about U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's letter to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gul said, ''different comments took place in the press about the letter. Necessary statements were made yesterday. There is no need for polemics.''
Responding a question about allegations saying that the General Staff objected to the seventh European Union (EU) adjustment package, Gul said, ''we listened to views of all institutions during the preparatory process. We will assess all these views.''
(UK-AÖ) 18.07.2003