ANKARA - Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said on Saturday that Iraq's territorial integrity was a policy of Turkey, stating that nobody would benefit from demolition of Iraq's territorial integrity.
Gen. Ozkok replied to the questions of reporters in a reception held on the occasion of August 30 Victory Day.
When asked whether or not the recent incidents in Shiite region affected risk analysis of military, Gen. Ozkok said, ''my headquarters work on it. Shiite region had been a calm one in general. Are there forces who want to create tension there? if so, who are they? We will reveal those with the information we will obtain.''
When a journalist reminded Gen. Ozkok that the incidents could be provocation, he said, ''everything is possible. Every country acts in line with its national interests. Provocative incidents are never approved.''
When a journalist reminded Gen. Ozkok his statement which he had made during the discussions on motion pertaining to sending soldiers to Iraq, he said, ''let me tell you the mechanism. Government has organs. It has foreign policy personnel and military personnel. Government makes evaluation with all those and takes decision. All the institutions conveyed their views, and government took the decision. I had to share this issue to public as the government took the decision by listening to us.''
A journalist reminded Ozkok his statements about the Kurdish groups in Iraq in his speech about the motion. Gen. Ozkok said, ''I had told this to U.S. friends, but they can understand it better now. They say they need our vision.''
''May be we don't have intelligence information as much as the United States about Iraq but we have some information and evaluations stemming from history. Those strengthen our premonition. We lived with them and we can estimate their behaviors.''
When asked whether or not he has concerns about territorial integrity of Iraq, Gen. Ozkok said, ''I have personal concerns. They had a meeting with the participation of Britain, United States and Spain. We clearly say that Iraq's territorial integrity is our policy. Nobody can benefit from demolition of Iraq's territorial integrity.''
When a journalist said attacks toward Turkmens in Iraq increased, and that there were difficulties about representation, Gen. Ozkok said, ''several things happened in the past between Turkmens and other groups. Number of Turkmens are not definitely known. There had not been census for years there.''
Gen. Ozkok said Turkmens in Iraq were citizens of Iraq, but that they needed protection. He said Turkey had never involved in an attitude against the citizens of a third country which international rules did not accept, stating that they showed utmost care to this even in internal security operation. Gen. Ozkok said they always looked for compromise together with Barzani and Talabani.
OZKOK SAYS SACEUR GENERAL JAMES JONES WILL BE IN TURKEY ON SEPTEMBER 2
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said that NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General James Jones will be in Turkey on September 2, stating that a U.S. delegation will pay a visit to Turkey next weekend.
When journalists reminded Gen. Ozkok that Gen. Jones would pay a visit to Turkey, he said the issue did not have only one dimension, stating that it had military, economic and political dimensions.
Stating that Iraq would be discussed in talks with Gen. Jones, Gen. Ozkok said, they would have the first military contact with the U.S. delegation in line with the authority they have taken from the government.
Gen. Ozkok said, ''our target at this meeting is to obtain the military information which the government needs about the things that can be done in Iraq, and to present this to the government as a mature study. This is the first stage. Of course, decision of the government depends on the decision of the Parliament. We will get military information which is needed. We will not go beyond this. We will have talks in the second stage, if things become official, and within our constitutional system if soldiers are to be send from Turkey. I mean this is our road map.''
Gen. Ozkok said Gen. Jones will be in Turkey on September 2, and that a U.S. delegation is expected to visit Turkey next weekend.
OZKOK: U.S. THINKS OF GIVING A SECTOR TO TURKEY IN IRAQ. COMMANDER AND HEADQUARTERS OF THIS SECTOR WILL BE TURKISH
Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said that U.S. was thinking of giving a sector to Turkey in Iraq, stating that United States wanted command and headquarters of this sector to be Turkish. Gen. Ozkok said there was nothing definite about the region.
When journalists asked whether or not a sector would be given to Turkey in Iraq, and whether or not an answer was given to those issues in the set of questions, Gen. Ozkok said, ''they think of giving a sector to us. The commander and headquarters of this sector will be Turkish. They said they would be pleased if we can give a brigade linked with this. It can be Turkish as a whole, or there may be contributions of some other countries. The country, which is responsible for that sector, is generally asked to provide this. We evaluate the previous practices.''
Gen. Ozkok said meetings were underway to form forces, and proposals were made to countries, stating that both NATO and United States may help them. ''None of these are clear at the time being,'' Gen. Ozkok said.
Gen. Ozkok said, ''we think of some regions. They think of some regions. What they say are in general outlines. Those should be discussed in detail. This will be done in stages.''
When a journalist asked about probable number of soldiers that would be sent to Iraq, Gen. Ozkok said there was not a definite number.
A journalist said, ''we know that tension escalated in Shiite region. Can this 15 day delay have an effect in decision taking process?'' Gen. Ozkok said the incidents which could take place in this period would affect the things.
Gen. Ozkok said, ''this will affect the government, organs of the government and the Parliament. This depends on the positive and negative incidents.''
Pointing out that instability in Iraq was very bad for Turkey, Gen. Ozkok said, ''in case United States fails there, and in case an instability takes place there, this will closely interest Turkey. As military, we want to assess what can take place. What can take place in an unstable Iraq, will it be possible for Turkey stay outside from those? We should estimate well what we will meet if we go, or what will happen if we don't go. We should decide it with political will.''
(AY) 31.08.2003