ANKARA - Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Chairman Abdullah Abdurrahman said on Thursday that they condemned harshly attacks in Istanbul.
Holding a press conference, Abdurrahman said that he condemned harshly those barbaric and terrible attacks in Istanbul on behalf of ITC and stated that they expressed their condolences to relatives of people who died in attacks and quick recovery to injured people.
Abdurrahman said that terrorism did not pay attention to religion, language and state and noted that they condemned all sorts of terrorism.
Abdurrahman said that they have faced with instability in Iraq for a long time and stated that people could fight against similar situations by sound efforts with good intention.
Stating that they, as ITC, gave priority to Iraq's reaching peace and stability, Abdurrahman said that they had concerns over the issue that tranquility had not been settled in Iraq for six months.
Noting that support of states which complied with resolution of the United Nations would relieve them, Abdurrahman said that they were expecting military, economic and political support of all friendly countries.
Abdurrahman said that ITC had determination that there should be an Iraq in which political, administrative, social, economic and cultural rights of all communities and people were taken under constitutional guaranty and stated that there should be an Iraq whose territorial integrity and political unity was protected. He added that if it took place in Iraq, the country would reach peace, tranquility and prosperity.
Stating that the aim of Turkmens was to make contributions to formation of a stable Iraq by preventing some people and groups from ethnically separating the country, Abdurrahman said that they expected support from all free countries and Turkey as well.
Abdurrahman said that especially Turkey should embrace people of the region with its historical vision and contribute to stability of Iraq by using cultural ties and economic potential.
ITC chairman stated that they received view that Turkey would continue to support Iraq during their meetings in Ankara.
Upon a question, he said that they defended a federative political structure comprised of 18 states which defended territorial integrity of Iraq and noted that approval of it would bring benefits both to them and also other societies. He added that occupier forces were not against it.
Upon another question on Kurdish migration to Kirkuk, Abdurrahman recalled that Turkmens constituted majority of population of Kirkuk and stated that initiatives to prevent migration continued. He added that they took some promises on solution of the problem.
Abdurrahman stressed the importance of census to prove that Kirkuk was a Turkmen city.
(EÖ-AÖ) 21.11.2003