ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that National Security Council (NSC) would evaluate dispatch of soldiers to Iraq in its meeting on September 19.
Replying to questions of reporters, Erdogan said that the government would then evaluate developments and make a decision on dispatch of soldiers.
When a reporter recalled that Ahmad Chalabi, the current President of the Iraqi Interim Governing Council who held meetings in Ankara on Thursday, gave the message that there was no need for Turkish soldiers in Iraq and asked how he evaluated that statement, Erdogan said, ''I did not receive such a message in our meeting. They said that they were not authorized to deal with the issue at the moment. Who is authorized to deal with the issue is certain. But, we have clearly seen that they have demands for Turkey's assistance to Iraq.''
Erdogan went on saying, ''they expect assistance. We say that we are currently evaluating the situation in light of reports given by our delegations who visited the region and that we can take such a step for tranquility of Iraqi people.''
''Our target is to see what we can do for happiness of Iraqi people, how we can support Iraq and what kind of a neighborhood duty we can fulfil. We aim to take a step to reach this target. We haven't made a final decision yet. Talks continue. The NSC will make an evaluation on the issue in its meeting on September 19 in the light of results gained from contacts of both the government and the General Staff. Then, the government will evaluate recent developments and make a decision,'' Erdogan added.
(BRC-AÖ) 12.09.2003