ANKARA - Turkish-U.S. Interparliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Egemen Bagis said on Monday that Turkey was ready to contribute to formation of Iraq, which would be in peace with itself and with the international community.
Addressing a seminar entitled, ''Brain Storm Before NATO Summit'' staged by Turkey-U.S. Interparliamentary Friendship Group Executive Board, Bagis said Turkey helped in installation of stability in the Middle East and Central Asia with its modern, secular and democratic structure, although it was situated in a problematic region.
Pointing out to the rooted strategic partnership of Turkey and the United States, Bagis said Turkey, aiming to help in restoring of peace and stability, approved motion on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq in line with Washington's request for soldiers to Iraq. Bagis said Turkey was ready to contribute to formation of Iraq, which would be in peace with itself and with the international community.
Bagis said Iraq was an important neighbor for Turkey, stressing that Turkish people had kinship relations with Iraqi people. He also said Iraqi people deserved to live in a democratic, peaceful and prosperous Iraq.
''Installation of peace and stability should be given priority in Iraq,'' said Bagis, noting that Turkey was a model country with its democratic values at a time when there was fear for clashes of civilizations.
Bagis said Turkey so far supported and would continue to support all the initiatives aiming at installation of peace and stability, in global framework including Iraq, Middle East and Afghanistan.
Bagis said NATO replied to many questions on Iraq, stressing that ways should be searched to strengthen the alliance instead of looking for alternatives for NATO.
Pointing out that NATO was an organization based on values of freedom and democracy, Bagis said it was important for NATO to consider the changing threats.
Touching on Turkey's fight against terrorism process, Bagis said many allies of Turkey included PKK-KADEK into the list of terrorist organizations, but what was expected in fight against this organization was not met.
Bagis pointed out to the efforts of Turkey in the past 30 years for formation of an international platform to fight against terrorism, and noted that, ''NATO should play an important role in fight against terrorism.''
Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Onur Oymen said in his speech that it was important to bring democracy to Iraq, adding that Turkey was one of the countries which would enable that.
Oymen stated that U.S. and EU had to be more active in fight with terrorism, adding that Turkey expected concrete steps from the U.S. to remove PKK-KADEK terrorism from the north of Iraq.
Representatives who attended the seminar also exchanged views about the issues that would be on the agenda of NATO Summit which would be held in Istanbul next year.
Issues such as the Balkans, the Middle East, the Black Sea, NATO-EU relations, expansion issue would be taken up during the meeting. It was stressed during the seminar that the summit would be held within the scope of ''Istanbul Spirit'' and it should not be considered only within the scope of NATO, as it would be a global meeting in which all world leaders would participate due to its agenda.
Turkey will play an important role within the scope of the summit which is expected to lead to new strategies. During the seminar it was stressed that Turkey was one of the important members of NATO and that the EU would be completed with the accession of Turkey.
Nixon Centre's International Security and Energy Programmes Director Zeyno Baran, Transition Democracies Project's head Bruce Jackson, Greek Foreign Ministry chief advisor Alex Rondos, Berlin Aspen Institute's Director Jeffrey Gedmin are among the guests who attended the seminar.
(ÖŞ-AY) 20.10.2003