DIYARBAKIR - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentarians Turhan Comez and Cevdet Erdol, who were in Iraq to have meetings, returned to Turkey on Thursday.
The delegation also included businessmen, technical staff, and engineers.
During the visit, the delegation signed a protocol for allocation of fields for two hospitals to be constructed by Turkey in Baghdad and Kirkuk, and held meetings with Iraqi officials.
COMEZ: ''TURKEY SHOULD ASSIST IRAQ NOT ONLY WITH ITS SOLDIERS, BUT WITH ITS BUSINESSMEN, CIVIL INITIATIVE AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS''
BAGHDAD - Turhan Comez said, ''Turkey should assist Iraq not only with its soldiers, but with its businessmen, civilian initiative and non-governmental organizations.''
Responding questions of the A.A correspondent, Comez said, ''we observed that a complicated structure and a new Beirut had been forming in one of our neighboring countries. Therefore, Turkey should pay more attention to Iraq for its own security and its national interests, commercial and political relations. Turkey cannot remain unconcerned about a structure, that has been shaping just beyond its borders. Turkey's traces in the region will continue for a long time since we have historical ties with Iraqi people.''
''Iraqi people like Turkey. They have an endless respect to Turkish soldiers. However, they have some expectations and reservations. Iraqi people think that Turkish soldiers should come to Iraq separately or under the umbrella of the United Nations. They say that Turkish soldiers should not act under the same roof with occupying forces. They told us that they expected Turkish soldiers to expend efforts to provide their security. Iraqi people also told us that they wanted Turkish soldiers to deal with infrastructure problems,'' he said.
Noting that they had also some reservations, Comez said that probability of provocation in Iraqi territories was very high.
Noting that harassment of Turkish soldiers with some clashes which would be provocated by unidentified terrorist organizations was in question, Comez said that it would be too optimistic to expect Turkish soldier to be unproblematic and to work in a sterile condition in such a complicated structure.
Comez said that they met with various sectors of society to understand the condition of Iraq and added that people had expectations with the ending of Saddam period and the arrival of American soldier, but their expectations were not met. He said that there were important problems in electricity, water, transportation and telecommunication and people started to react against Americans when these were gathered and their expectations were not met.
Comez said that he observed that Turkey's brotherly relations with Iraq, religion brotherhood and not accepting the first motion had positive affects on Iraqi people.
Noting that his real aim in coming to Iraq was the coordination of two hospitals which Turkish government had promised to Iraqi people, Comez said that they prepared infrastructure regarding the building of hospitals by completing official procedures.
Comez said that officials from Iraqi Health Ministry would come to Turkey 15 days later and meet with some officials who were authorized in health field. He added that he hoped that Turkish hospitals which would be built in Baghdad and Kirkuk would develop friendship bridge between two countries.
(UK-GC-AY) 28.08.2003