Turkey's Sending Soldiers To Iraq May Prolong To October

REPRESENTATIVES OF SOME TRIBES IN IRAQ TO VISIT ANKARA

ANKARA - In case Turkey decides to send soldiers to Iraq, this may prolong to October. Diplomatic sources said sending of Turkish soldiers may prolong to October even if Parliament adopts a motion envisaging sending soldiers.
The same sources said representatives of some tribes in Iraq may visit Ankara in the coming days.
Sources said representatives from council of Iraqi tribes, comprised of nine tribes, and the only Arab tribe al-Obeid, are expected to have meetings with officials from Foreign Ministry.
Sources said the tribes put forward proposals. The tribe members will be asked their views regarded with probable existence of Turkish soldiers in Iraq, and will be given friendship messages.
Meanwhile, a delegation comprised of officials of General Staff, National Intelligence Organization, and Foreign Ministry are expected to visit Iraq next week aiming to observe the region.
The delegation plans to meet with all the sections without making any ethnical discrimination.
Another delegation comprised of parliamentarians may also visit Iraq in the coming days.
Diplomatic sources said the questionnaire which was sent to the United States regarded with sending Turkish soldiers to Iraq included 11 questions.
Sources said it was not definite yet whether or not the Turkish soldiers would be under Turkish command or whether or not would be assigned in Sunnite region in central part of the country.

GUL: ''A CERTAIN POINT IS REACHED IN U.N. RESOLUTION NO. 1483 AND ALL COUNTRIES ARE CALLED FOR HELPING TO BRING PEACE TO IRAQ''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that a certain point was reached in the United Nations Resolution No. 1483 and all countries were called for helping to bring peace to Iraq, adding, ''Turkey is not a member of Security Council. We are not a key country there, but we are defending such a resolution to be accepted.''
Gul made the opening of photograph exhibition held in Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Headquarters due to the second forming year of the party.
Gul replied questions of reporters.
When asked whether they received an answer from the United States, Gul said that those issues required a process and they would make evaluation and examination within this process.
Gul said that the results of those would come to the government and the government would take a political decision.
Gul said, ''this decision will be sent to Parliament. We cannot ignore what is happening in our neighbor. Territorial integrity of Iraq and Iraqi people's reaching peace and stability is important for Turkey as well. A conciliatory Iraq, a region which starts to use own sources and where economic relations develop is for the interest of Turkey. It will be for the interest of Turkey to contribute this, but we are evaluating the conditions and developments. We will make examination in its place. As the United States is authorized there, the results of the negotiations we have made with them will be gathered, evaluated and a decision will be taken. We are at point of a serious evaluation and information gathering.''
When recalled the statements of AK Party Group Acting Chairman who said, ''a motion which will not include the north of Iraq will not presented to Parliament'', Gul said, ''terrorist organization PKK settled in the north of Iraq at the moment. A new Reassociation Law is adopted. We hope that those who did not participate in events will evaluate this law in the best way. Of course, no one cannot give opportunity to terrorists to stay continuously in Iraq. The United States and Britain should be interested in this issue since they have authorities there. Statement on north of Iraq of our group acting chairman is within this scope.''
When asked whether or not President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was convinced of sending soldiers to Iraq, Gul said that he did not understand why people were fixed on those kinds of issues and noted, ''Prime Minister Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Ozkok, officials and I made a detailed assessment on the issue in Presidential Palace and a view appeared. We are at the level of assessment. After those issues are evaluated, decision of the government will also be taken. We should give up discussions such as whether or not he was convinced of the issue. We should take into consideration interests of Turkey.''
Upon another question, Gul said that no. 1483 U.N. resolution reached a certain point and called all countries to help Iraq reach tranquility.
Gul said that there was not any draft resolution which was taken for settlement of stability in Iraq under the structure of the U.N. and noted that coming out of such a decision soon was not certain.
Stating that they believed that the U.N.'s taking such a decision would be very beneficial, Gul said, ''in case it is not taken, we are evaluating what Turkey's interest require. Turkey is not a member of the Security Council. Thus, Turkey don't have authority for a decision to be taken in the U.N. alone. We are not a key country there, but we defend such a decision's being taken. We are exerting efforts for a decision to be taken, but by our capacity. But, in case such a decision is not taken, we are carrying out preliminary activities not to endanger interests of Turkey.''

''TURKEY'S TAKING DECISION ON SENDING SOLDIERS TO IRAQ WILL BRING PEACE TO IRAQ AS SOON AS POSSIBLE''
While the discussion on sending soldiers to Iraq continues, Turkmens think that Turkey's sending soldiers to Iraq will bring peace and stability to that country.
Ahmet Muratli, the Turkey representative of Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) told A.A correspondent on Thursday that ''we are Iraqis before being Turkmens.'' Noting that the communities in Iraq were all relatives to each other due to the historical process, Muratli said that the attacks on the coalition forces generally made uneasy the Iraqi people.
''We, the Iraqis are grateful to the U.S. and its allies for ending the dictator Saddam regime in Iraq. However, the administration method of the U.S. in Iraq in the four months shows that the U.S. does not know the Iraqi people and it attempted to do certain things without taking into consideration the traditions and customs of the Iraqi people. This was also voiced by an American official. The incidents taking place in the triangle of Baghdad, Felluce and Bakube causes deep sorrow among Iraqi people. The Iraqi people need additional power from outside due to that reason. When we look at the Middle East countries, it is seen that Turkey is the most experienced power. Turkish Armed Forces can undertake this mission successfully due to its experience and high performance in Somali, Kosovo, Bosnia and Afghanistan. We believe that as the Iraqi people.''
Stressing that Iraq was not an unfamiliar country for Turkish Armed Forces, Muratli said that the north of Iraq lived in peace for 13 years thanks to the efforts of the Turkish Armed Forces. Muratli remarked that Kurdish people in the region didn't complain and no incident took place to date, adding that ''it is the Turkish Armed Forces which stops clashes in that region. Turkish Armed Forces shows the best performance in dealing with people, too. We believe the Turkish Armed Forces will be useful for communities living there who are relatives of each other and will put out the fire in the region. We don't say this only as the Turkmens. Arabs, and other groups also want the same thing. They conveyed their views to us. We believe that the State of the Turkish Republic will bring peace to Iraq as soon as possible with the decision it will take.''
Noting that Constitutional Commission, which would prepare Iraqi Constitution, was announced at interim parliament yesterday, Muratli said that there were two Turkmens in the commission that was comprising of 25 people. He added that one of the Turkmens was Iraqi Turkmen Front Provincial Consultation Parliament Chairman Dr. Ismet Abdulmecit who was an expert in Constitution issue and the other one was Abbas El Beyati who was an expert in political issues and from Turkmen Islamic Union.
Muratli said that Sami Abdurrahman from Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party and Dr. Fuat Masum from Patriotic Union of Kurdistan were also chosen for the commission.
Recalling that Turkmens were represented in interim parliament with one person, Muratli said that this was not enough and added that a person who had a political identity and was from Iraqi Turkmen Front should be appointed to interim parliament, not assigned.
Noting that population ratio was not taken into consideration regarding representatives in interim parliament, Muratli said that Turkmens did not find appropriate a decision to be taken on behalf of them.
Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association Chairman Kemal Beyatli said that Turkish soldiers were going to problematic regions and helping oppressed people within the scope of international alliances.
Noting that within this scope Turkey's sending soldier to Iraq, which was in difficulty, was very important, Beyatli said that Iraqi people and Turkish people had a friendship tie depending on the past. He added that some people were using expressions such as ''Iraqi people were against Turkish soldiers'', and Turkish soldiers knew who were saying this. He said that ideas that Iraqi people were against Turkish soldiers were wrong because there were ties between two peoples depending on history, adding that they wished that Turkish soldiers would undertake mission not only in problematic regions of Iraq, but also in all regions.
Beyatli said that Turkish soldiers were good at difficult missions and they have undertaken missions in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Cyprus and Somalia until today to provide peace and stability. He added that Turkish soldiers had become successful in those places and now their undertaking mission in Iraq was on the agenda and they should rapidly go to the region.
Beyatli said that the most important power which would bring stability and peace to Iraq was Turkish soldiers and stated that he fully believed that Turkish soldiers would also be successful there.
Stating that Turkish soldiers would not be an occupier power in Iraq, he said that some groups who had interests in the region put forward such allegations.
Beyatli said that Turkish soldiers would withdraw from the region after they brought tranquility and confidence to the region and then Iraqi people would stand on their feet.
Beyatli said that they, as Turkmens, of course wanted Turkish soldiers' deployment in their own region and stated that but it would be determined as a result of meetings which would be held with the U.S. officials.
Noting that the U.S. soldiers took action without examining psychological structure of Iraqi people, Beyatli said that Kurdish groups had influence on it. He added that problems which the U.S. soldiers faced also stemmed from it.
Kemal Beyatli said that reason of turmoil in Iraq stemmed from infrastructure facilities' not being operated sufficiently and stated that Iraqi people who were suffering from difficult living conditions reacted to the U.S. soldiers since they considered those soldiers as responsible for their sufferings. Beyatli added that if those infrastructure facilities started to be operated again and people in Iraq returned to their jobs, such armed reactions would decrease.
Kirkuk Foundation chairman Izzettin Kirkuk said that Turkish soldiers must go to Iraq, on the condition that they would have the right in re-building of Iraq and national interests would be protected.
Kirkuk said that if Iraqi people were not incited by people with bad intentions, Turkish soldiers would be welcomed warmly in the region.
Stating that because Turkish soldiers would go to Iraq for settlement of peace, confidence and stability in the country, not as an occupier power, Kirkuk said that but some groups who could not digest presence of Turks and who had no endurance to hear even if the name of Turkey started to appear in Iraq recently.
Kirkuk said that Turkey had extended help to those groups then, gave them diplomatic passports and stated that those groups opposed Turkey now.
He said that he hoped that the United States would understand it as soon as possible and stated that Turkmens in the region should be treated equally.
Kirkuk added that they wanted Turkish soldiers to be deployed in the region where Turkmens were living.
(Öª-GC-EÖ-AÖ-AY) 14.08.2003