Edelman: New Iraq's Territorial Integrity Will Be Preserved

ANKARA - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman said on Monday that new Iraq's territorial integrity would be preserved.
Following his meeting with Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun, Edelman told reporters that sides in Iraq continued their discussions on constitutional process within the framework of Iraq's territorial integrity.
Edelman said that Turkey and the United States were in favor of that basis and new Iraq's territorial integrity would be preserved in the end.
The Iraqi people started to write their constitution, Edelman stated.
Edelman noted that each group tried to gain the most profit in that process.
Replying a question on unity of Kurdish groups in north of Iraq around federalism, Edelman said that he did not know details of that agreement.
Asked about U.S. President George Bush's visit to Turkey, Edelman said that Bush would attend NATO Summit in Turkey in June.
Replying a question on qualified industrial zones, Edelman said that they were trying to find a legal means to pass the issue from Congress and hoped to get a result.
Asked about reconstruction of Iraq, Edelman said that they supported territorial integrity of Iraq.
Edelman said that Iraqi people would determine new structure of Iraq in the end.
He was sure that they would reach a result within the scope of Iraq's territorial integrity because it was for the benefit of everybody in the region, Edelman added.
IRAQI PEOPLE WILL DECIDE WHAT KIND OF AN ADMINISTRATION WILL BE FORMED IN IRAQ
Replying questions of a group of reporters at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Edelman said that what was important was not the best administration in United States' regard, but what Iraqi people wanted.
Asked about plans of Kurdish groups to form a joint government in north of Iraq, Edelman noted that as the U.S. administration, they supported and preserved Iraq's territorial integrity.
Edelman underlined that they wanted an Iraq, the capital of which was Baghdad.
Touching on the process of formation of a constitution in Iraq, Edelman said that it was normal that every group would try to gain an advantage for itself.
Edelman pointed out that the constitutional process in the United States was completed in twelve years.
Iraqi people were at the very beginning of constitutional process, Edelman said and noted that the process would be discussed more.
NO LETTER IS SENT BY SHARON TO BARZANI AND TALABANI
Edelman said that as far as he knew, there was not any letter sent by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani.
When asked about news that ''Sharon sent a letter to Barzani and Talabani and encouraged them to form a joint government in north of Iraq'', Edelman said that it would be wrong to speak on behalf of Israel.
But, he added, as far as he knew there was not such a letter.
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION PKK/KADEK WILL BE TAKEN UP DURING ERDOGAN'S VISIT TO UNITED STATES
Edelman told reporters that they pressed on the European Union (EU) to include PKK/KADEK in the list of terrorist organizations, but that process was slower in Europe than the United States.
There were two important factors in prevention of terrorism, Edelman stated.
Edelman listed those two important factors as ''cutting financial sources of the terrorist organizations and preventing people from joining the terrorist organizations.''
They had recorded significant progress in both cutting the financial sources of the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK and preventing people from joining that organization, Edelman said.
Edelman noted that they could put into practice every kind of measure against PKK/KADEK, including military methods.
EDELMAN: IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS RECORDED IN LIQUIDATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION PROGRAM OF LIBYA
Edelman said important developments were recorded in liquidation of weapons of mass destruction program of Libya.
Edelman told reporters that many factors, including Iraq war, were effective in this issue but U.S. intelligence also worked very well.
There were very important developments in this issue, Edelman stated but complained that Turkish press did not give much place to that issue.
EDELMAN: BORDER CONTROL AND VISA MEASURES CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO MINIMIZE SECURITY THREATS
When he was recalled about the claims that he demanded from Turkey to apply visa for Iran during his visit to Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, Edelman said that they took up common internal security threats against Turkey and the United States in their meeting.
Edelman said that border control and visa measures could be beneficial to minimize threats.
Nuclear power of Iran posed a threat particularly for its neighbor Turkey, Edelman stated.
Edelman said that they would continue ''diplomatic pressure'' on Tehran and thanked Turkey for its support to International Atom Energy Agency.
(BRC-AÖ) 22.12.2003