ANKARA - Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) Turkey Representative Ahmet Muratli said on Tuesday that they defended a democratic and parliamentary system in Iraq and stated that an order based on ethnic origin and denomination would not bring any benefit to Iraq.
The Labor Union of Turkish Teachers Chairman Suayip Ozcan and executive board members visited Muratli.
Stating that the United States and its allies promised to bring peace and democracy to Iraqi people, Muratli said that after allied powers settled in Iraq, they brought murder, uneasiness, looting and disaster to Iraq. He said that the United States had fell into an occupier position in Iraq.
Muratli said that Iraqi people had concerns over incidents which took place recently and stated that all Iraqi people, except a part of them, had concerns.
Muratli said that there was hardly security in Baghdad and stated that people in Iraq had some difficulties in meeting their daily needs.
Stating that they defended a democratic and parliamentary system in Iraq since they were in favor of territorial integrity of Iraq, Muratli said that an order based on ethnic origin and denomination would not bring any benefit to Iraq.
``The interim assembly does not represent Iraqi people since it was not founded with the will of people. Although Turkmen people constitute 13 percent of Iraqi population, only one person represents them in the interim government. We cannot accept it. The current administration favors some sides. It acts in line with direction of leaders of peshmerga groups in northern Iraq. Therefore, we, as Turkmen people, are uneasy about the United States, which has caused current situation in Iraq,`` he said.
Stressing that leaders of two peshmerga groups in northern Iraq had been trying to deceive people, Muratli said, ``these groups aim at destroying the peace in the region in order to found a federate Kurdish state.``
Meanwhile, Labor Union of Turkish Teachers Chairman Suayip Ozcan said in his part, ``we paid a visit to offer our condolences for those who lost their lives in the attack in Kirkuk.``
Emphasizing that the United States had an important responsibility in the attack against Turkmen people, Ozcan said, ``we cannot accept such obnoxious attacks of those who received Turkey`s assistance in the past.``
Defending that the government`s remaining silent against recent events in northern Iraq was thought-provoking, Ozcan said Turkish soldiers should be sent to regions in which Turkmen people live, instead of saving U.S. soldiers who are in difficult conditions.
Stressing that attacks targeting Turkmen people should be prevented, Ozcan added, ``Turkish nation is in unity and solidarity as usual. We will show this to the whole world.``
(EÖ-UK-AÖ) 26.08.2003