ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Wednesday that national interests should priorly be taken into consideration and a comprehensive evaluation taking into account Turkey's position in the region and its historical ties should be made when deciding on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq.
Addressing the opening remarks of the new legislative year, Sezer said that the authority to permit dispatch of soldiers to foreign countries rested with the parliament.
Sezer said, ''therefore, the decision on whether international legitimacy condition has occurred and whether or not necessary permit will be given rests with the parliament and this is a requirement of the Constitution.''
Turkey closely and sensitively followed the developments in Iraq, Sezer noted.
Sezer said that Turkish people were sad about continuation of loss of lives of civilians and soldiers just beside its borders.
Uncertainty about future and stability of Iraq concerned international community as well as Turkey, Sezer stated.
Sezer stressed that preservation of Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity and stability of Iraq and region were indispensable factors.
Turkey's sensitivity about preservation of Iraq's territorial integrity was obvious and known by everybody, Sezer said.
Sezer wished that Iraqi people would reach tranquility, self-determination would be ensured in the country and this country would take its place among civilized nations as soon as possible.
''Instability in Iraq should end as soon as possible, public order should be restored in the country, a democratic regime in which all ethnic groups are equally represented should be established and Iraqi people should have full control over their region and natural resources,'' Sezer said.
Sezer pointed out that Turkey would support Iraq's democratization process and said, ''when Iraq starts to progress on the road to democracy, Turkey will be one of the leading countries which will support it in the region.''
How Iraq would be shaped up in the future and settlement of stability in that country concerned Turkey more when compared with the other allies, Sezer said.
Sezer went on saying, ''we continuously stated that a military operation against Iraq could be planned as a last alternative. We continuously reiterated that all sides should enable solution of issue through peaceful means. Turkey inculcated Iraqi administration to fully cooperate with the United Nations (U.N.) by abiding by the calls of the international community and launched comprehensive initiatives to lay a common ground among regional countries since the beginning of the crisis. When our country continued these efforts, it was in communication with its allies, particularly the United States and sincerely wanted peaceful solution of the issue.''
''The current stage of developments is obvious. Unfortunately, war could not be prevented. However, some problems which were supposed to be solved by war have re-occurred again in a more severe way,'' Sezer said.
Sezer noted that when making critical decisions on Iraq, it was natural to regard all factors with common sense and rationalistic and deliberate approaches.
''Developments in technology, communication and transportation in the post Cold War era rapidly change international balances in favor of strong countries. This increases importance of international organizations and international law. Protection of the weak can be ensured by these organizations and by international law. It is important for world peace if countries abide by international law. The authority of the parliament to decide on whether or not to send soldiers to any foreign country in cases 'considered legitimate by international law' under the article 92 of the Constitution is very meaningful for dimensions of international relations. There is no doubt that our parliament will fulfil its responsibilities without any deficiencies,'' Sezer said.
Sezer stated that bi-polar structure of the Cold War era was demolished at the end of the 20th century and the possibility of a big war toward West Europe decreased to the lowest level of all the times.
In that case, classical threats were replaced with multi-dimensional risks and asymmetric threats like terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and fundamentalism, Sezer said.
Sezer noted that the world order at the beginning of the 21st century directed toward a structure in which main power centers were situated beside one-polar super power.
The world had entered into a rapid changing process which was caused by two factors, namely globalization aiming at integrating peoples, nations and economies, and communication technologies bringing closer countries, cultures and nations, Sezer stated.
Sezer said, ''nations which can't perceive this changing process rightly will probably be content with watching the results of the process. September 11th terrorist attacks against the United States led to many repercussions in the world about the dimensions of the mass terrorism. International security atmosphere has a changing structure. It is possible that threats can rapidly occur and can hardly be predicted beforehand from now on.''
''The process to fill the geopolitic power gap which occurred in the Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia and Middle East after the Cold War era by a single super power has begun. Within this framework, concepts of Cold War era like 'containment' and 'deterrence' were pushed behind and concept of 'preventive strike' which doesn't permit grow of threats caused by countries supporting and sheltering terrorism and by countries developing weapons of mass destruction were brought forth,'' Sezer said.
Sezer noted that there was need to act in line with principle of international legitimacy in issues concerning international security.
The Republic of Turkey, with its democratic, secular and social state of law principles, was the only modern country which could be an example to Muslim countries and contribute to strengthening of harmony among civilizations, Sezer stated.
Sezer stressed that geostrategic role that Turkey could play in harmony among civilizations was also important.
''Turkey's current security concerns are fundamentalism, terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional uncertainties and instability. International developments have changed Turkey's position from the 'wing country' to 'front country' since the Cold War era. Turkey successfully continues its fight against internal and external threats against its independence, integrity, secular and democratic constitutional order, and nation-state structure,'' Sezer said.
Sezer stated that fundamentalist movement in Turkey aimed at establishing a state based on religious rules, replacing modern law with Shariat law and erasing all modern features of the Republic.
''This situation causes rightful concerns of our society as an important security problem. Secularism which is the basis of modernism, democracy and state of law is the core of foundation and existence philosophy of Republic of Turkey, its unchangeable feature, and guarantee of freedom of religion and conscience, national unity and social peace,'' Sezer added.
(BRC-AÖ) 01.10.2003