ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Monday that Iraq's territorial integrity should not be disrupted, stating that fighting with members of the terrorist organization in northern part of Iraq was the duty of the forces prevailing in the region.
When asked whether or not there was a change in policy of Turkey that Turkey would consider establishment of a Kurdish state in northern part of Iraq a reason of war, Gul said, ''we have stated this clearly many times. Iraq's territorial integrity should not be disrupted. It is the duty of international community and at the same time Iraq people to preserve Iraq's territorial integrity. Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens are the owners of Iraq. We call on those people to be happy in their own country.''
Pointing out that natural resources of Iraq belonged to Iraq people, Gul said they wished for a democratic administration to come to power soon.
Gul said, ''there are members of terrorist organization in northern part of Iraq. Fighting with them is the duty of forces prevailing in the region, and which has authority in the region currently. They are aware of this and they know. We always remind them. We will see the developments in the coming days.''
NEW U.S. REPRESENTATIVE IN KIRKUK SAYS THEY TALKED TO TURKISH SPECIAL FORCES IN KIRKUK TO PREVENT ESCALATION OF INCIDENTS
KIRKUK - Colonel William C. Mayville, new U.S. Representative in Kirkuk, said on Monday that they met with Turkish Special Forces in the city to prevent escalation of incidents in Kirkuk. He said they were looking for solution together.
Speaking to Turkish journalists, Col. Mayville said unidentified assailants destroyed a tomb in Tuz Kharmato four days ago, stating that this angered Shiite groups, and incidents erupted in Tuz Kharmato and Kirkuk.
Mayville said Shiites, who could not perform their religious duties for years, and who could relieve recently, were frustrated because of the incidents, and recalled that some people were killed in some incidents.
Mayville said some said policemen opened gunfire in the incidents, and two policemen were taken into custody. Governor's office launched a wide-scale investigation into the incident, he added.
Mayville said they talked to Turkmen groups about the incidents, stating that governorship would repair the tomb and open it to worship. He said they talked to Turkish Special Forces in Kirkuk to prevent escalation of incidents.
Mayville said this was the first time such an incident occurred since May 17, adding that groups in the region were living in peace up to that time.
Col. Mayville said there were various ethnical groups in Kirkuk, yet that despite this Kirkuk was the calmest city of Iraq so far, pointing out that he was sure that they would install peace atmosphere in Kirkuk again.
Mayville said they called all the political parties belonging to Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens in the city and collected all the weapons.
Replying the questions of reporters about the allegations that the incidents erupted to prevent coming of Turkish soldiers to Iraq, Mayville said there was not such a thing.
He said Kirkuk has a fragile position, and there were many ethnical groups living there. Mayville said it was regardless of question for them to make discrimination among the groups, noting they have same distance to all the groups.
(AY-AÖ) 25.08.2003