ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that the attack, which was launched on the United Nations building in Baghdad, did not affect Turkey's sending soldier to Iraq.
Gul replied questions of reporters regarding the attack that was launched yesterday.
When asked whether the attack would affect Turkey's sending soldier to Iraq, Gul said, ''no, these are different things.'' He added that Turkey was exerting efforts to provide stability in Iraq.
Noting that the attack would cause the instability in Iraq to continue, Gul said that everybody wished the condition to become normal and the country to reach stability.
Emphasizing the importance of Iraqi people's governing Iraq, announcement of Constitution and holding of elections, Gul said, ''of course, time is needed for these. However, the shorter this time is, the better both for Turkey and Iraq and the region it will be. We, as Turkey, are exerting efforts to shorten this period and to make Iraq reach peace rapidly.''
Noting that as far as he knew, there were no Turkish people died in yesterday's attack, Gul said, ''because, no Turkish people is working there. But, Turkish trucks are carrying humanitarian aid to Iraq for the United Nations organization. Sometimes they certify their documents in U.N. building. We have not received an information about this issue at the moment. I hope a loss that we do not know is not in question.''
Recalling that many U.N. officials and U.N. Special Representative to Iraq Sergio De Mello, who had visited Turkey a short time ago, died in the attack, Gul offered his condolences to the United Nations and the country of De Mello.
Noting that they had very beneficial meetings with De Mello in Ankara, Gul said that De Mello was sincerely believing that Turkey could have important roles in the rebuilding process of Iraq.
Gul said that De Mello was one of the leading diplomats of the U.N. and worked in problematic regions and had many diplomat friends in Turkey. He added that a good friendship had started between them and because of this reason, De Mello's death made him very upset. Gul said that De Mello was in great effort to make a civilian administration come into rule rapidly in Iraq.
(GC-AÖ) 20.08.2003