ANKARA - Parliament adopted on Tuesday motion on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq.
The motion was adopted by 358 votes against 183 votes. A total of 543 deputies joined the voting. Two deputies cast abstaining vote in the closed session which lasted for more than two and a half hours.
Sources said that Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul was the first person to take the floor in the closed session and explained the reasons for their request for getting authorization to send soldiers to Iraq.
After Gul's speech, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal delivered a speech.
Following speeches of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies Nihat Ergun and Cevdet Erdol, Gul responded to criticisms.
True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar also express his views about the motion.
When news that Iraqi Interim Governing Council unanimously took a decision against deployment of Turkish soldiers in Iraq was heard during the discussions in the General Assembly, the CHP laid down a proposal to suspend the discussions.
Deputy Parliament Speaker Sadik Yakut, who chaired the session, did not put the proposal into practice.
Then, the CHP made another proposal to debate the decision of the Iraqi Interim Governing Council, follow the developments and then vote the motion on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq.
This motion was rejected in the General Assembly.
Upon statement of CHP leader Baykal on decision of the Iraqi Interim Governing Council, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a brief statement.

The Prime Ministry motion on sending soldiers to Iraq stressed Turkey's resolution in taking all necessary measures to clear out PKK-KADEK terrorist elements in Iraq and to prevent Iraq's becoming an asylum for terrorists in the future.
The motion also noted that the Turkish Armed Forces would work in its region of responsibility within its own national command structure.
Noting that the situation in Iraq continued to be a serious source of concern for the international society, the motion referred to United Nations (U.N.) Security Council Resolution No. 1483 dated May 22, 2003.
It was stated in the motion that the developments in Iraq closely concerned Turkey, adding that ''protection of Iraqi territorial integrity and its national unity and establishment of a new democratic Iraq which will take under guarantee the basic rights and freedoms of all national groups and all Iraqi citizens carry vital importance for Turkey.''
The motion referred to the importance of a new political structure which would maintain the territorial integrity of Iraq, stressing that Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens and Assyrians, the founding people of Iraq, should play an effective role in the building process of the national state on equal status, and that no privileged status should be given to any national group.
The new political and constitutional structure of Iraq should be determined in a way that meets the legitimate concerns and expectations of all national groups, noted the motion adding that united and democratic Iraq had to be built on strong foundations.
The security of Iraq had multidimensional and direct effects on the security of Turkey, it was stressed and noted that ''prevention of terrorist elements which target the national unity and territorial integrity of Turkey, from taking shelter in Iraq is a vital issue for Turkey. Turkey is resolved in taking all necessary measures to clear out PKK-KADEK terrorist elements in Iraq and to prevent Iraq's becoming an asylum for terrorists in the future. The U.S. and coalition powers know and understand our right concerns in that issue. Official contacts started with the U.S. to eliminate PKK-KADEK terrorist organization from Iraq. A common understanding has been confirmed in this issue and the sides have discussed the measures to be taken in this regard.''
The government concluded that it should contribute militarily as a part of multinational powers to the operation of stability and security in Iraq, the motion noted adding that ''in line with the decision to be given by the parliament, the contacts and studies started to determine the military and technical aspects of our active contribution to stability force in Iraq and its political framework will be resulted and those regulations will have concrete basis.''
The task of Turkish soldiers would not only be limited to contribution to security and stability, and it would also be contribution to the Stabilization Force in political and humanitarian aspect, it was noted.
''Turkish Armed Forces will also perform the tasks of restoring public order, regulating and improving humanitarian aid and economic structure,'' the motion stressed, adding that Turkish soldiers would work in Iraq as the guarantee of security and stability.
The motion stressed that Turkish Armed Forces would not go to Iraq as a force that would help in the continuation of the occupation in Iraq, adding that ''on the contrary our soldiers will be an element to contribute to normalization process and meeting the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people.''
The motion's last part seeks parliament's permission under Article 92 of the Constitution for one year to send Turkish Armed Forces soldiers to Iraq -its scope, limit and time to be determined by the government- to contribute to security and stability there and to authorize government to make necessary regulations about the task and usage of these forces.''
This motion of the Prime Ministry is the 18th motion on sending soldiers abroad and accepting deployment of foreign soldiers in the country. A total of 16 of the motions submitted to the parliament were approved to date.
(BRC) 07.10.2003