Dirioz: Statement Of Zebari Is In Full Contradiction With U.S. Government's Application To Our Government

ANKARA - Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Thursday that the statements of Hoshyar Zebari, the foreign minister of the Iraqi interim government, were in full contradiction with the application made by the U.S. government to the Turkish government.
Responding to a question about the statement of Zebari who said that Turkish soldiers should not be sent to Iraq, Dirioz said that ''it is seen that the statements of a person who was charged by the approval of the U.S., are in full condradiction with the U.S. government's application to our government. We believe that the U.S. will clarify the issue.''
Noting that Turkey was taking the views of the Iraqi people, Dirioz said that ''Turkey will take the steps which it thinks correct for the well-being of itself, Iraq and the region together with the Iraqi people.''

GUL: IRAQI FM ZEBARI IS FM OF WHOLE IRAQ, NOT OF KURDISH REGION
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was not the Foreign Minister of Kurdish region, but the whole Iraq.
Responding to questions of journalists at the airport of central Kayseri province about the statement of Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari, Gul said that ''Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari is not the Foreign Minister of Kurdish region, but the whole Iraq. We are sure that he will act by thinking this fact while talking from now on. All Iraqi ministers represent the integrity of Iraq. Iraq has to pursue an integrated policy. The coalition powers, the U.S. and Britain are there and they are the ones which elected, approved the council of ministers. Everybody should contribute to ensuring stability in Iraq. Mostly the contribution of Iraqis and Iraqi ministers is necessary. In that respect these are statements which have been issued very early. These statements will change in the future.''

TALKS BETWEEN TURKISH-AMERICAN MILITARY DELEGATIONS -AMERICAN HIGH RANKING OFFICIAL:''THERE IS NO CRISIS, PROCESS WILL CONTINUE''
No problem was seen during the talks between Turkish and American military delegations within the scope of Turkey's sending soldiers to Iraq on Thursday.
An American high ranking official said that U.S. military-technical delegations which came to Ankara on Wednesday night met with Turkish military officials in General Staff on Thursday and that the delegations would leave Ankara on Friday after completing the all-day-long talks.
The American official said that it was not true to say that the talks lasted short or stopped in the middle, adding that the schedule of the American delegations only covered talks today.
The American official said that the dialogue between Turkey and the U.S. about the issue would continue and that other military delegations would come to Ankara soon. The American official stressed that there was no crisis about the talks held the same day and that the process continued.
There were questions such as the sector in which Turkish soldiers would be charged, what would be the mission of Turkish soldiers and the number of Turkish soldiers among the issues discussed the same day, the American official said.
Noting that Turkey and the U.S. were two ally countries, the American official said that Turkey would give the decision to send soldiers to Iraq, itself.
(Öª) 04.09.2003