ANKARA - Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said on Monday that sending soldiers to Iraq was the last point of Iraq issue, adding that the issue was the time by when the conditions would become mature and it was out of question for Turkey to make mature the conditions in Iraq by itself.
Noting that Turkey had taken steps on time and given necessary decisions, Cicek said that thus, there was no additional step which Turkey should take at the moment.
Cicek replied to questions of reporters following his statements regarding the Council of Ministers meeting.
Upon a question asking when Turkey would send soldiers to Iraq, Cicek said that sending soldiers to Iraq was the last point of Iraq issue and when the issue was considered from Turkey's point of view, Turkey had taken the necessary steps and given decision on time. He added that Turkey made all of its preparations in aspects of laws, humanitarian aid and in respect of repercussions of developments in Iraq on Turkey including the issue of sending soldiers.
Cicek said that the issue was to restore peace and tranquility in Iraq and he added that Turkey made its all preparations to protect its rights and interests in parallel to developments in Iraq. He said that there was no additional step to be taken for Turkey at the moment.
TURKEY WANTS RAPID RESTORATION OF PEACE, STABILITY AND TRANQUILTYI IRAQ
Cicek told reporters that Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul had informed council members about the 10th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference of OIC which was held in Malaysia.
Noting that Turkey had been following the activities of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) carefully from the beginning and exerting efforts for positive decisions, Cicek recalled that the agenda of the conference was Iraq.
Cicek said that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Foreign Minister Gul, who had attended the conference, had expressed theses of Turkey.
When recalled the statement of Gul on the issue of sending soldiers to Iraq by forming an Islamic unity and asked whether this issue was brought onto agenda during OIC meeting and what the result was, Cicek said, ''exerting efforts to provide every kind of aid and support to Iraq took place in final statement of OIC. When it is said 'every kind of aid', the idea of a very comprehensive aid and support, primarily the humanitarian aid, is voiced in the statement. Naturally, extra work is required to see what it brings and what kind of steps can be taken. As far as I know, OIC foreign ministers will convene in Damascus in a short time and these issues will be brought onto agenda. Turkey wants rapid restoration of peace, stability and tranquility and establishment of state authority in Iraq which is already an element of instability in the region.''
(GC-AÖ) 20.10.2003