ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday that news saying that Iraqi Interim Governing Council had taken a decision opposing deployment of Turkish soldiers in Iraq was inaccurate.
Replying to questions of reporters, Gul wished that the decision to send soldiers to Iraq would be beneficial.
Gul went on saying, ''the government will make good use of this authorization of the parliament. It will hold meetings and the most appropriate conditions and places will be determined. The period of deployment is definite. This is an important issue. This is the first time that period is mentioned in such motions. This indicates that Turkey will not definitely be a part of occupation in Iraq. Turkey will be there to shorten the period of occupation instead of extending this period. Turkey will not be there only for military sense. It will be there to help and serve Iraqi people.''
''Turkey's intention is very obvious. Turkey doesn't have any secret intention. Everybody should understand this. A stable and tranquil Iraq which lives in peace and which has good relations with its neighbors is for the benefit of Turkey. The more we provide this, the happier we will be,'' Gul added.
When recalled about the news on decision of the Iraqi Interim Governing Council opposing deployment of Turkish soldiers in Iraq, Gul said, ''it is not accurate. We spoke to a Turkmen member of the Council. Our Ambassador to Iraq said that such a statement was out of question. Especially, members of the Council with Kurdish origin thought so but in the end, they decided that such a decision was not right. Such a decision is out of question.''
When recalled about statements on the issue, Gul said, ''such statements may be made. There are different people there. They may think so but there is not such a decision.''
(BRC) 07.10.2003