Foreign Ministry: Unfortunate Statement Of Bremer Is Incompatible With Historical Facts

ANKARA - The Foreign Ministry stated on Tuesday that the words of Paul Bremer, the U.S. civilian administrator for Iraq, that Ottoman Empire was in Iraq as ''colonialist force'' for more than 400 years were incompatible with historical facts.
Responding to a questions on the matter, Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said that they were sad to hear that Bremer defined the Ottoman existence in Iraq as a 400-year colonialist period in an interview with ABC television channel.
Dirioz noted, ''this unfortunate statement of Bremer is not only incompatible with historical facts, but also doesn't serve international efforts to further improve friendship, peace and good neighborhood in Iraq and among regional people in this sensitive period.''
(BRC-AÖ) 28.10.2003