ANKARA - Barham Saleh, an official of Iraqi Patriotic Union for Kurdistan (IPUK) asserted on Monday that regional countries' sending soldiers to Iraq would further complicate security and political atmosphere in that country.
Responding to questions of journalists after meeting with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal, Saleh said that the Iraqi interim governing council should take part in the issue of inviting soldiers from any country.
Saleh said that whatever the decision Turkey would take about dispatch of soldiers to Iraq, it had to take into consideration the desire of the Iraqi people and the interim governing council.
Noting that neighbouring countries' sending soldiers to Iraq would further complicate security and political atmosphere, Saleh stated that they believed that neighbouring countries could help Iraq in different ways.
Saleh said that they needed political and economic support of neighbouring countries rather than their military assistance, claiming that the best thing for everybody was to stay away from the region in military aspect.
When asked if the issue of terrorist organization PKK-KADEK was taken up during his meeting with Ziyal, Saleh said that he voiced once again that Iraq would be a good partner for security and stability of neigbouring countries. He said they were faithful to international commitments.
Saleh added that as the U.S. saved the Iraqi people from Saddam Hussein dictatorship they were grateful to the U.S. and coalition allies.
(Öª) 06.10.2003