ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul left on Monday for Rome, Italy to attend the Turkey-European Union (EU) Troika meeting.
Prior to his departure, Gul replied to questions of reporters at Ankara's Esenboga Airport.
When asked whether Ankara had any information about clashes between the members of PKK/KADEK terrorist organization an the U.S. soldiers in north of Iraq, Gul said, ''it is true. Clashes took place on Sunday. Members of PKK clashed against not only U.S. soldiers, but also peshmergas there. Some U.S. helicopters also went there.''
Upon a question, a Turkish businessmen who was killed in Baghdad, Gul said that an evidence was not found out that it had a political dimension according to information given to Ankara.
Stating that an investigation was under way, Gul said that Turkish Embassy in Baghdad was dealing with the issue.
Concerning the suicide attack in Riyadh, Gul said that there were some Turkish people who were injured in the attack and stated that but they were not injured seriously. Stating that education attache was also among those injured people, Gul said that attache did have any serious health problems.
When asked whether or not the United States made a proposal on Turkey's commanding NATO force in Afghanistan, Gul said, ''both NATO and the United States want Turkey to make more contributions there, as its success and power is known. Those issues will be assessed. But there is not any formal application regarding the issue.''
When asked news stories which said that the U.S. administration was not pleased with Iraqi Interim Governing Council were brought onto the agenda during his conversation with U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell, Gul, ''he did not say anything about the issue. We are also following it, it can be. We don't have much to say. We earlier made statements about the Council, its foundation and members.''
Upon a question regarding 8.5 billion U.S. dollars of loan of the United States, Gul said that there was not any problem regarding the issue and stated that there was not any condition on the issue, either. Gul said, ''whenever Turkish Treasury wants the loan, it will apply for it. Then it will come into force.''
Concerning Turkey-EU Troika meeting, Gul said that studies which would be made for Turkey's EU accession process, Turkey-EU relations, Iraq and the Middle East issues would be discussed in the meeting.
Gul said that it was the first meeting after the Progress Report was announced, so it was important and noted that they would have chance to convey their pre-assessment about the Progress Report and Strategy Paper to the EU.
Gul is expected to return to Turkey on Tuesday evening.
(EÖ-AÖ) 10.11.2003