Gul: Turkey Succeeded In Having The Lowest Amount Of Loss Due To War In Iraq

ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Monday, ''we succeeded in having the lowest amount of loss due to the war in Iraq.''
Speaking at the Parliamentary Plan and Budget Commission during debates over budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the year 2004, Gul said, ''we can describe Turkish foreign policy as principled, balanced and realistic. Our foreign policy has undertaken the functions of protecting national interests of our country and making contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity both in Turkey and abroad. This role of Turkey stems from its geo-strategic and geo-economic position, demographic and economic criteria and military confidence.''
''As you know, Turkey takes place in the focal point of different geographies. Therefore, it follows a foreign policy including complementary dimensions instead of alternative elements. We can enumerate main elements of our foreign policy as our target of European Union (EU) membership; our partnership relations with the United States; our good neighborly relations with adjacent countries; our policies towards Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East; and our cooperation with significant regions and centers of the world. We are part of both the western world and the Islam world. Turkey naturally represents a global harmony policy by gaining strength from its own characteristics. The Ministry of Foreign Ministry and Turkish diplomacy have adopted protection of interests of Turkish economy as a primary goal. Our ministry has undertaken an influential role to support Turkish entrepreneurs in international platforms,'' he underlined.
Referring to developments in 2003, Gul said, ''a war was experienced in our neighbor Iraq. However, we succeeded in having the lowest amount of loss. Rooted reforms, which could not be made for years, were fulfilled. We have recorded an important progress in target of our people to reach democratic standards. Also, we have reached a more concrete stage in our EU membership process.''
Gul noted, ''despite the war and extraordinary conditions in the region, we have succeeded in preserving our partnership with the United States in line with our reciprocal interests and 50-year experiences of alliance. We have expended careful efforts to further improve our relations with all neighboring countries. Also, we have expended all kinds of efforts in line with our target of settlement of security, stability and prosperity in our region. During this period, Turkey has emerged as a central and powerful state serving the peace with positive and concrete contributions. Our government add a new content to the concept of active foreign policy.''
Pointing out that parliamentarian democracy was pushing force of Turkish foreign policy, Gul thanked to the parliament for its contributions to foreign policy.
Gul said current risk and conflict map around Turkey and in the world did not change, stressing that further security and stability continued to be the desire of international community.
Gul said the world began to comprehend that fight against terrorism was a global struggle, adding that terror, action and threat were still alive although two years passed after September 11 terrorist attacks.
Gul said spreading of mass destruction weapons threatened societies, noting that instability prevailed global atmosphere, and that international law and institutions were not fully influential to carry out this mission.
Gul said instability prevailed on global atmosphere, stressing that Iraq was still in instability, noting that Caucasus was under the threat of ossified problems.
''Turkey watches with atmosphere with concern but with imperturbability and self confidence,'' Gul said noting that Turkey was affected by negative effects of the regional problems. Yet Gul noted that foreign policy did not have the luxury to leave those developments to their own course and to expect solution of the problems from others. Gul stressed that Turkey should not be contended with only giving reaction, but that it should cover a active foreign policy.
Stressing that the government attributed importance to restoration of peace and cooperation atmosphere in all regions constituting Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia and Middle East, Gul said, ''our foreign policy, which act basing on the understanding that insolubility would not be solution, plays a pioneering role in settlement of compromise and cooperation culture in our region.''
Gul said Turkish Armed Forces's capabilities to protect peace should be made use of in areas where diplomatic and economic contributions were not adequate, adding that Turkish Armed Forces kept in step with military, technologic, scientific, political, diplomatic and cultural changes.
GUL: IF OUR PEACE FORCES ARE REQUIRED, WE WILL DISPATCH OUR SOLDIERS TO IRAQ NOT LIKE OCCUPIER, BUT AS A COMPLEMENTARY ELEMENT

Gul said, ''permission motions and the recorded targets will be protected in using the authority given to the government by the parliament in order to make a contribution to the U.S.-led Stability Force in Iraq. If our peace forces are required, we will dispatch our soldiers to Iraq not like an occupier force, but as an element complementing our current political, economic and humanitarian contributions to settlement of stability in Iraq.''
Gul said, ''Turkey has embraced all sections of the Iraqi people. It is determined to contribute to constitute a peaceful and prosperous future for Iraq. Our government displayed a principled, creative and influential diplomacy before the war. As for the current stage, it is necessary to protect territorial integrity of Iraq. We defend that natural resources of Iraq belong to Iraqi people. Also, we will continue to defend that sovereignty of the country should be handed over to Iraqi people as soon as possible. The target of a peaceful Iraq can be reached only through this way.''
Recalling that the parliament had authorized the government to make a military contribution to the U.S.-led Stability Force in Iraq, Gul said, ''we will protect permission motions and recorded targets while using this permission. The government will take its final decision about participation in the Stability Force under the light of a realistic assessment of recent conditions and as a result of ongoing consultations with the relevant sides.''
''Turkey's goals about participation in the Stability Force are quite clear. If our peace forces are required, we will dispatch our soldiers to Iraq not like an occupier force, but as an element complementing our current political, economic and humanitarian contributions to settlement of stability in Iraq,'' he emphasized.
Gul added, ''we have been carrying out multidimensional activities in cooperation with all relevant institutions in order to eliminate presence of the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK, which claimed lives of more than 30 thousand Turkish citizens, in Iraq.''
GUL: WE HAVE FULFILLED OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO GET A POSITIVE MILESTONE AT EU'S SUMMIT IN DECEMBER OF 2004

Gul said, ''in 2004, results to be yielded in our efforts to reach our target of getting our desired place among the modern civilizations will be clarified. We have the opportunities to make 2004 a year in which significant steps will be taken successfully in line with progress of our nation, state and region. We will do our utmost to assess these opportunities in the best way.''
''As you know, we have gone through a long and difficult path in our EU membership process. We have fulfilled our responsibilities with great determination to get a positive milestone at the EU summit in December of 2004. Turkey has taken necessary legal steps to adjust with EU Copenhagen political criteria. Our government has the full determination to put these steps into practice,'' he stressed.
He added, ''Turkey is a natural part of the united Europe project. Our democratic and strategic structure is in harmony with target of developing and strengthening EU. The EU will be tested in 2004 in regard to its political realism, strategic rationalism and loyalty to its commitments. An influential communication strategy has been put into practice in order to facilitate EU countries' taking this decision.''
GUL: RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE SETTLED IN THEIR NATURAL POSITION

Gul said, ''relations between Turkey and the United States have settled in their natural position again. This position is the powerful partnership relation. Our partnership with the United States has been developing for more than 50 years on the bases of common values, joint strategic visions and reciprocal interests. It will continue to further strengthen in the future.''
GUL: TURKEY WANTS TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE CYPRUS QUESTION AS WELL AS TURKISH CYPRIOT SIDE

Gul said, ''Turkey wants to find a solution to the Cyprus question as well as the Turkish Cypriot side. A solution should protect indispensable rights of Turkish Cypriot people and provide an atmosphere in which the two communities of the island will be able to live side by side in security.''
Gul said, ''Turkey has always supported the good-will mission of the United Nations secretary general, and will continue to do so in the future.''
''As parameter of the solution to be reached in Cyprus, we target formation of a new partnership state providing continuation of existing peaceful atmosphere in the island and Turkey's influential and de facto guarantee, protecting the balance between Turkey and Greece, and recognizing sovereign equality of the two sides on the basis of compromise,'' he stressed.
Gul added, ''we believe that comprehensive proposals of President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) created a significant opportunity to overcome the existing confidence crisis. We have enabled Greek Cypriots to travel to Turkey after a period of 40 years. We expect the Greek Cypriot side to respond all these initiatives in the affirmative and take positive and determined steps to reach a historical compromise. Developing relations between Turkey and Greece in recent period and presence of a quite positive atmosphere in the island have inspired us with hope.''

(UK-AÖ) 03.11.2003