ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has met with Iraqi Interim Governing Council's current president Jalal Talabani.
Talabani, who came to Turkey for the first time as president of Iraqi Interim Governing Council, came together on Wednesday with Erdogan during meetings between delegations.
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, State Minister Besir Atalay, Turkey's Special Envoy for Iraq Osman Paksut and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari are also attending the meeting.
ERDOGAN GIVES MESSAGE THAT PRESENCE OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATION PKK/KADEK IN IRAQ SHOULD BE ENDED
Erdogan said that Iraqi authorities should not enable terrorist organizations to use Iraq as a shelter.
Sources said that Erdogan stressed in the meeting that Iraq was an important neighbor of Turkey.
Emphasizing that majority of Iraqi people were friend of Turkey, Erdogan said that Iraq was undergoing a difficult period and that period should be left aside as soon as possible. Erdogan wished that situation would be normalized in Iraq soon.
Iraqi people and the Council had undertaken important duties in that difficult period, Erdogan stressed.
Erdogan said that they expected that political transformation process plan on which an agreement was reached by the Council and coalition authority at the end of last week would be put into practice successfully in order to ensure sovereignty of Iraqi people.
It was not possible to say ''things had a good course'' in Iraq in current situation, Erdogan drew attention.
Erdogan said that stability and peace in the country could not totally be restored and problems of people in meeting their daily needs still continued.
There were people who thought that they could have benefits in the atmosphere of chaos and terrorism in Iraq, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said that this situation prevented efforts for reconstruction of the country.
All Iraqi people should be very careful at that stage, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan pointed out that all ethnic and religious circles in Iraq should take place in the future administrative structure of Iraq according to their population.
''None of the groups should feel that they were being excluded in that sensitive transition period,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan said that when efforts were being exerted according to new political transformation plan, prejudices should be left aside and all parts of Iraqi people should be embraced.
The basic law to be prepared by the Council headed by Talabani till the end of February 2004 should meet expectations of all Iraqi people, Erdogan stressed.
Erdogan said that it was understood that the basic law would form the core of the future Iraq law. Otherwise, he noted, groundwork of possible conflicts would be laid.
Terrorism issue was also brought onto agenda during the meeting.
Erdogan said that Iraq should not be a shelter for terrorist organizations and emphasized that it was necessary to end the existence of PKK/KADEK terrorist organization in Iraq, adding that council had some mission to undertake on this issue as well. Stressing that Turkey was a friend equally for all parts of Iraqi people, Erdogan said that Turkey would continue to be the supporter of people in the region in the aspects of restoring and strengthening of stability in Iraq, meeting basic human needs, completing political transition process in the fastest and healthiest way and reconstruction of Iraq.
Erdogan said that Turkey's efforts in meeting basic needs and providing humanitarian aid for Iraq were the clear evidences of this approach.
Noting that an important commercial activity already started between Turkey and Iraq and development of commercial and economic relations would serve region to become normal, Erdogan said that a contribution worth of 50 million U.S. dollars was promised for the reconstruction of Iraq in 2003-2007 period during Madrid Conference.
Erdogan said that Turkey started to transfer electricity to Iraq and increasing traffic required a second border gate between two countries and added that this problem should be solved together.
Erdogan said that Kirkuk-Yumurtalik Oil Pipeline could not function fully due to sabotages and Turkey and Iraq were harmed significantly with this. He told delegation that they were expecting this line's security to be provided rapidly.
Erdogan said that Turkey wanted to see Iraq as a country which protected its territorial integrity and political unity, was in peace with itself and neighbor countries, prosperous and in which all parts of society would find the chance to be represented and which was proceeding towards democracy and completely sovereign.
TALABANI SAYS THEY ARE AGAINST EVERY KIND OF TERROR ORGANIZATIONS IN IRAQ
Talabani, who together with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan chaired talks between the delegations, replied to questions of reporters.
Stating that he gave Erdogan information on recent situation in Iraq, Talabani said he also expressed willingness to improve relations with Turkey in politics, culture, security, economy and trade.
Talabani said Erdogan told them that Turkey would be beside Iraqi people and that Turkey would contribute to restructuring of Iraq.
When asked whether or not terrorist PKK/KADEK organization was discussed at the meeting, Talabani said this issue was taken up in outlines.
Talabani said he wanted to announce that new democratic Iraq would not allow any terrorist group to stage activities against Turkey or any other neighbors. He said they were against every kind of terrorist organizations in Iraq.
Replying to a question why they opposed to the hospitals that would be constructed by Turkey although they wanted to improve relations with Turkey, Talabani said they did not oppose to the construction of hospitals, and that they were sad to learn the news reports in this respect.
Talabani said they favored construction of Turkish hospitals, and defended that the problem stemmed from the administration of coalition powers (CPA).
Talabani said CPA was the actual authority in Iraq, noting that they could only get the control by the end of May. He said they promoted Turkish companies to come to Iraq.
Talabani said he also gave information to Erdogan on security in Iraq, noting that security situation was positive in most of Iraq.
When Talabani was reminded their opposition regarding dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq, he said they were not against Turkish army and Turkish government, but that they believed that security of Iraq should be restored only by Iraqis, not by foreign forces. Talabani said they also did not want any enmity between Turkey and Iraq.

(BRC-GC-AY) 19.11.2003

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IRAQI INTERIM GOVERNING COUNCIL CURRENT PRESIDENT TALABANI MEETS WITH CHP LEADER BAYKAL

ANKARA - Iraqi Interim Governing Council Current President Jalal Talabani met on Wednesday with Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal.
Following their meeting, Talabani told reporters that he informed Baykal about the situation in Iraq and terrorism threat.
Talabani said that they were face to face with a terrorism which did not regard religion, race and gender and which only aimed at killing.
''Murderers were killing everybody whether they were women or children, Sunnite, Shiite, Arabic, Kurd or Turkmen,'' Talabani noted.
Talabani said that most of ''those murderers'' came outside Iraq and came to support Saddam.
''They were trying to prevent process of democracy, stability and welfare in Iraq,'' Talabani stated.
Talabani said that those terrorists had strong links with Al Qeada, Al Ansar al Islam and other terrorist groups.
Replying to a question about an attack on vehicle of a private Turkish news agency in Irbil, Talabani said that there were not any terrorist groups in Irbil and An Nasiriyah.
But, he noted, terrorists could infiltrate in the saved region and their only aim was to kill without making any discrimination.
Talabani said that they had invited a delegation of CHP to come to Iraq to see the situation and establish relations with all groups in Iraq.
Sources said that Talabani gave information about efforts to reconstruct Iraq in the meeting.
Noting that they aimed to make a new reconstruction at the beginning of 2004, Talabani said that they planned to hold general elections at the end of the year.
Talabani said that they favored cooperation with Turkey in every field and noted that they wanted to cooperate with Turkish companies in economic investments and infrastructure.
Despite some incidents, a majority of Iraq was calm and nobody should have concern about investments, Talabani pointed out.
Stating that they were against deployment of foreign soldiers in Iraq, Talabani said that it was a general principle and not a special attitude towards Turkey or Turkish soldiers.
Talabani said that they wanted U.S. soldiers to depart from Iraq soon and Iraq's security to be ensured by Iraqi forces.
In the meeting, Baykal brought onto agenda the situation of Turkish citizens in Mahmur Camp while Talabani said that the region where the camp was situated was under responsibility of the United States.
(BRC-AY) 19.11.2003