ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, ''a step has not been taken about dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq since necessary conditions and agreement were not settled.''
Prime Minister Erdogan hosted a dinner at the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) headquarters on the third day of the holy month of Ramadan for journalists.
Upon a question about negative statements of U.S. soldiers following approval of the motion about dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq, Prime Minister Erdogan told reporters, ''earlier, I said that approval of the motion by the parliament did not mean that Turkey would send its soldiers to Iraq as soon as possible. I also stressed that necessary steps about dispatch of our soldiers to Iraq would be taken after all conditions were fulfilled. A step has not been taken so far since necessary conditions and agreement were not settled. On numerous occasions, we said that we do not have the desire to send our soldiers to Iraq. Our efforts aim at assisting Iraq on the basis of neighborhood law. What can we do to this end? There are kinship relations between Turkey and Iraq. We have been sharing the same values with Iraqi people. We targeted to assist Iraq during its rebuilding process. However, we could not receive a positive response so far. It was the United States which made this invitation. We assessed this invitation. For the time being, we have been sending humanitarian aid to Iraq. We will start sending water to Iraq in the coming day. Our businessmen have begun making business deals in this country. All I can say for the time being that let's hope for the best.''
Upon a question, Prime Minister Erdogan said that ''suspension'' of dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq was out of question.
Stressing that Turkey had completed its military and political preparations, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''first of all, an agreement should be reached. Then, we will assess it and take a decision. Since there is not such an agreement, we do not have the desire to send our soldiers to Iraq. But, we want an agreement to be reached on this issue.''
(UK) 29.10.2003