U.S. Ambassador: Turkey's Contributions To Stability And Democracy Of Iraq Are Very Important

ANKARA - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman thanked on Tuesday for parliament's decision to send soldiers to Iraq and said that contributions that Turkey could make for stability and democracy of Iraq were very important.
Turkish-U.S. Interparliamentary Friendship Group hosted a luncheon at parliament in honor of Edelman.
Speaking in the luncheon, Edelman said that Turkey and the United States had common interests and stressed on importance of strategic relations between two countries.
Edelman said that cold war era and Saddam era had ended and pointed out that the following process was more important and complicated.
Around 140 thousand U.S. soldiers were in regions near Turkey's borders, Edelman recalled.
Edelman said that many U.S. officials came to Turkey in two months after he had taken over the post in Turkey and people who went to Baghdad stopped by Turkey.
Stating that he got the impression during his meetings that two countries had a consensus of opinion about their common interests, Edelman said that their common interest was preservation of Iraq's territorial integrity after a military intervention.
Thanking for adoption of motion on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq, Edelman pointed to importance of that decision of Turkey for settlement of stability in Iraq.
Edelman said that there was no doubt that Turkey's contributions to Iraq's stability and democracy were very important.
Turkey could make many contributions like humanitarian, economic and social contributions, Edelman noted.
Edelman said that bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States were more important and two countries had common economic and political interests.
Fight against global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction was among common interests of two countries, Edelman pointed out.
Edelman said that Turkey could play an important role in the Middle East.
Stating that the United States had many strategic interests with Turkey, Edelman said that the most important was that Turkey should continue its 80-year development, ensure full democracy and market economy and take its place in the European Union (EU).
Edelman noted that Turkey's success would give a significant message in the region.
Majority of Turkish citizens expected Turkey to get the place it deserved in EU, Edelman said.
Noting that two countries would continue cooperation as partners, Edelman said that he was looking forward to cooperate with Turkey.
(BRC) 14.10.2003