ROME - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey would take step on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq according to what Constitution requires.
Erdogan held a press conference in Rome where he attended the European Union (EU) Intergovernmental Conference.
When asked if Turkey was hopeful about 2004, Erdogan said that all people whom Foreign Ministers and other officials met had positive views and stated that they appreciated steps which were taken regarding the adjustment packages in Turkey. Erdogan said, ''they only said that they should also see it in practices.''
Asked whether or not the word of Christian was put into the draft constitution, Erdogan said that it was not put into the draft and added that thus, studies yielded positive results.
Upon a question on implementation of adjustment packages, he said that Turkey completed adjustment and stated that they would start implementation from now on. Erdogan said, ''laws are made to be put into practice.''
When asked whether Simitis and he also discussed Cyprus issue, Erdogan said, ''Cyprus is not included in Copenhagen political criteria. I cannot understand why reporters focus on it. It is a different issue. We have completed almost all things which should be done concerning Copenhagen political criteria.''
Upon a question on developments in Iraq, Erdogan said that Iraq was not included in the agenda of the meeting.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul intervened in the conversation and said, ''everyone was asking whether Turkey will be invited to Intergovernmental Conference to us three-four months ago. Turkey was not a country which started negotiations. Member countries and countries which started negotiations were earlier invited to the conference. EU changed its decision. When you look at the Rome declaration, you see leaders of member countries and countries which started negotiations in the declaration. It is a very important development. Everyone should be aware of it.''
When a Italian reporter said whether or not they took support of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Erdogan said that they had always taken support of Berlusconi so far and stated that his support continued and it would continue as their relations with Berlusconi entered a very different process. Stating that it was being showed with relations both in political and economic field between Turkey and Italy, he said that he hoped it would continue like that.
Asked whether or not the number of soldiers who would be sent to Iraq and the sector where the soldiers would be deployed were determined, Erdogan said that Turkey would take a step on this issue according to what Constitution required and stated, ''Foreign Ministry and General Staff are carrying out necessary studies on this issue. We also assessed sensitivities of the party group. We see a serious unity on that issue. We will review those preliminary studies when we return home. We will negotiate this issue in the meeting of the Council of Ministers. Then we will do what is necessary. Technical studies continue.''
When asked whether or not he was looking for consensus on the issue with the President, Erdogan said that they discussed it in the meeting of National Security Council and added that President and he also held weekly regular meetings.
Erdogan said that he invited Berlusconi to AK Party congress which would be held next week.
(EÖ-AY) 04.10.2003