U.N. Has Lost Influence In Iraq Crisis

ANKARA - Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said on Wednesday that United Nations (U.N.) had lost influence in Iraq crisis.
A statement of CHP headquarters said that Baykal, who was elected as the Vice-President of Socialist International in its Congress in Sao Paolo, Brazil, addressed the Congress.
Baykal said that it was inevitable for the U.N. and especially the Security Council to be in harmony with the new facts and balances of the world and not to be a inscrutable organization from now on.
The Iraq policy of Socialist International set in its meeting in January was proved to be rightful and appropriate, Baykal noted.
Baykal said that CHP achieved to direct Turkey's Iraq policy in line with that decision of the Socialist International.
Noting that the recent decision of the U.N. on Iraq was a right but an insufficient step, Baykal said that the U.N. could not follow a consistent policy in Iraq crisis from the outset.
Baykal stated that the situation in the Middle East became worse and pointed out that international community should impose sanctions when necessary and take peace under guarantee.
CHP leader Baykal said that Turkey, who had close and friendly ties with both societies, was always ready to contribute to settlement of regional peace.
Stating that democracy spread around the world in the last two decades, Baykal said that but it could not be reflected to the Middle East.
Baykal drew attention that one-third of international terrorist activities in the world occurred in the Middle East.
Emphasizing that it was not possible to justify terrorism, Baykal said, ''it is obvious that sincere efforts are not exerted to settle and spread democracy in every part of the world. Unfortunately, people have showed more interest in underground resources like oil and natural gas than those living on the ground.''
Baykal said, ''some people said democracy is not appropriate for this geography due to Islamic religion which is widespread in the region. We harshly reject these claims. We cannot accept accusing one billion Muslims due to their beliefs. Overwhelming majority of these people do not have any responsibility on spreading of terrorism. They are not responsible for authoritarian regimes, but they are victims of those regimes. Turkey example is the evidence of the invalidity of this claim. We have proven one more time that a society which 99 percent of its populations is Muslim can survive in democracy. Now, super powers have to decide this; will they prefer authoritarian but cooperating regimes, or will they support development of democracies which will pave way for forming governments that will protect interests of their own people, not other countries?''
Baykal also said that international society expected leaders of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to start a real dialogue to reach a solution which could be accepted by both sides.
Baykal emphasized that such a solution should depend on realities of Cyprus and everybody should accept existence of two separate and politically equal entities and two separate regions. He underlined that using international platforms and especially the European Union (EU) as a pressure tool over one of the sides would not ease the solution of Cyprus issue. He added that such pressures would make reaching a solution more difficult as it happened in the last 30 years.
(BRC-GC-AÖ) 29.10.2003