ISTANBUL - Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim who completed his visit to the U.S. and returned to Turkey, said that Turkey was ready to provide all kinds of cooperation in transportation and communication studies in Iraq.
Speaking in the news conference he held at Ataturk Airport, Yildirim said that he attended the Regional Aviation Security and Flight Safety Summit held by U.S. Department of Transportation and George Washington University and he also had bilateral contacts there.
Yildirim stated that a new security understanding came out after the Sept. 11 terrorist incidents, adding that they exchanged views about this issue in the meeting and that they evaluated regional cooperation opportunities.
Yildirim noted that they had the opportunity to take up issues of sending soldiers to Iraq and Iraq's reconstruction process, adding that ''we reached a consensus of opinion on the view that Turkey could carry out important duties in Iraq. We discussed what we could do in the field of transportation and communication. We told that we were ready for all sort of cooperation in transportation and communication infrastructure studies in Iraq. We started Baghdad trips of State Railroads. Soon Turkish Airlines will start its flights to Iraq.''
(Öª) 14.09.2003