Polish Special Envoy On Reconstruction Of Iraq: We Don't Want To Limit Our Presence In Iraq Only To Military Presence

ANKARA - Slawomir Cytryeki, who was appointed as special envoy by Poland on reconstruction of Iraq, said on Thursday that Turkey and Poland wanted to be seen as stability force in Iraq and stated that they did not want to limit their presence in Iraq only to military presence.
Meetings among delegations of Turkish-Polish Business Council, Turkish-Iraqi Business Council and the delegation headed by Cytryeki ended.
Turkish-Polish Business Council Chairman Mithat Yenigun and Turkish-Iraqi Business Council Chairman Ercument Aksoy chaired the Turkish side in the meeting.
Replying to questions of reporters following the meeting, Cytryeki said that the future of Turkish-Polish relations and improvement of economic ties between the two countries were taken up in the meeting.
Stressing that the process of being included in Iraq operation which was a special stage of this relation was very important, Cytryeki said that they also discussed possible cooperation opportunities in reconstruction of Iraq in the meeting.
Upon a question, Cytryeki said that there was a partnership of interest in reconstruction of Iraq between Turkey and Poland and stated that both countries were wanted to be seen as a stability force in Iraq. Cytryeki said that they did not want to limit their presence in Iraq only to a military presence and noted that the important thing was how countries which took a role in this operation would make contribution to betterment of condition of Iraqi people.
Cytryeki said that another important thing was to ensure feeling of security in Iraq and improve the country's economic future and added that they discussed those issues in the meeting.
Underlining that philosophy of presence of Poland in Iraq had similar peculiarities with Turkey's, Cytryeki said that contributions which the two countries could make in reconstruction of Iraq, cooperation opportunities and proposals were also taken up in the meeting.
Cytryeki said that the two countries could reach solution by uniting their powers and stated that they also wanted to hold meetings between business circles of Turkey and Poland.
Cytryeki said that they would hold a meeting to reach this goal in Istanbul on November 17, 2003 and added that economic relations would be reviewed and Iraq issue would be brought onto the agenda in this meeting.
(EÖ-Öª) 09.10.2003