Cicek: Turkish Soldiers To Go To Iraq For One Year

ANKARA - Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said on Monday that Turkish soldiers would go to Iraq for one year, adding that the period envisaged by the motion sent to the parliament was one year.
Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Cicek said that the cabinet took up the Iraqi issue.
Noting that Iraq was on the agenda of the world, region and Turkey, Cicek said that the Iraqi issue concerned all states, but it concerned Turkey even more. ''Turkey is the country which is affected the most from the developments in Iraq. If there are peace and stability in Iraq, this positively affects all our policies. We can't perceive the Iraqi issue as a country which is not a neighbour of Iraq. On the one hand we are neighbouring country of Iraq, and on the other hand we are also a target country due to the developments taking place in Iraq and particularly due to terrorism....We have cultural, historical, and religious ties with Iraq. Therefore we consider the Iraqi issue differently from other countries,'' Cicek said.
Cicek noted that Turkey knocked on all the doors when the intervention on Iraq had come to agenda and it had contacts with Islamic and neighbouring countries. Cicek said that the intervention could not be prevented, adding that ''we must look at the Iraqi issue from the point of Turkey's interests today.''
''We must consider the Iraqi issue from a broader perspective beyond daily events and foresee the possible regional developments. The bombing of a neighbourhood in Damascus last night clearly shows that the issue should be considered from a different aspect. We evaluate the incident as a violation of Syria's sovereignty. Turkey has to give its decision by thinking of the coming 10-20-30 years and the regional developments. Turkey tried to develop its policy by listening to the delegations which went to Iraq and finally it gave a decision,'' Cicek said.
''We will probably send the motion signed by cabinet members to the parliament today. We've been launching efforts to solve the humanitarian needs of Iraq for a long time,'' he said. Cicek said that Turkish soldiers would be deployed in Iraq for one year, hoping the soldiers to stay for less than one year.
Cicek said that if the parliament gave its decision tomorrow, the process would go on, hoping the decision to be beneficial both for Turkey and for Iraq.

CICEK SAYS THERE IS NO PROVISION IN MOTION ABOUT NUMBER OF TROOPS
Cicek said that the number of soldiers that would be sent to Iraq was not mentioned in the motion, adding that the number would be assessed due to the need.
Giving information about the issues taken up in the cabinet meeting, Cicek said that the cabinet discussed the draft law on Public Finance Administration and Supervision and it decided to send the draft law to the parliament.
Cicek said that State Minister Besir Atalay also gave information to cabinet members about the Press Bill.
When a journalist asked when would the number of soldiers to be deployed in Iraq and their place be determined, Cicek said that ''they will be discussed later. We ask for permission with our motion to send soldiers to Iraq. The remaining issues will become clear as a result of negotiations to be done by the concerned units of the state and the government.''
When asked if there was any opposing view within the cabinet about the motion, Cicek said there was no such view.
Upon a question asking if there was a time schedule about deployment of Turkish soldiers, Cicek said that ''after the parliament takes its decision, the issue of when, and how the soldiers will be sent will be determined as a result of negotiations of the General Staff and Foreign Ministry. The deployment will be for one year. We don't put any provision about the number of soldiers in the motion. It will be evaluated according to the need. We hope this number to be few as much as possible. We hope the period of the deployment even if we say one year, to be less than that.''
Upon a question, Cicek said that the Iraqi issue was taken up both in the meetings of President with Prime Minister and in National Security Council meeting. ''We discuss this issue at all levels and in all meetings. We try to analyze the risks, problems of this issue in these meetings,'' he said.
''Unfortunately the U.N. could not take a decision about the Iraqi issue. It is not certain when it will take such a decision. When we look at the backstage, everybody continues to protect his interests within the concept of international legitimacy. We take our decision by taking into consideration the vital interests of Turkey and possible developments. For the moment, more than 40 countries sent soldiers to Iraq,'' he said.
''Our desire is for parliament to consider the motion tomorrow. It will probably be considered then,'' he said upon a question.
''Taking such a permission does not mean of sending soldiers the other day. Negotiations in different fields continue. We can carry out the negotiations more easily by taking permission from the parliament,'' Cicek said.
Cicek stressed that Turkey didn't only go to Iraq as soldiers, but also as the other units of the state from engineering to medical services.
''The decision we gave is a political one. The parliament has to give its decision to turn it into a permission. Probably it will be given tomorrow,'' he said.
Upon another question asking if the government had any doubt that the motion could be rejected, Cicek said that ''had we had any doubts, we wouldn't be sending this motion.''

(Öª) 06.10.2003