Gul: 2003 Was A Year When Important Problems Were Seen In Foreign Policy

ISTANBUL - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Monday that 2003 was a year when important problems were seen in foreign policy.
Gul said, ''we found important problems on our table after we came to ruling.''
Stating that issues like Iraq, Cyprus, European Union (EU) and terrorism interested foreign policy as well as internal policy, Gul said they dealt with all those issues in a transparent and democratic way.
Gul said Turkey should get rid of from the dilemma of being considered as ''Western in the East and as Eastern in the West''. Gul said they gave appropriate messages regarding the position they were in. Gul said Turkey gained esteem abroad this period.
Gul said Turkey was not an ordinary state with respect to its foreign policy agenda and its field of responsibility, noting that it should cover an integrative foreign policy with its historical responsibilities and strategic position.
Noting that Turkey's relations with the United States reached a healthy level, Gul said economic, military and political relations improved within mutual respect. Gul said relations with the Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC) member countries and the U.N were in positive level.
Gul said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited 12 countries and that he visited 13 countries so far. He said 14 prime ministers, 25 foreign ministers and nine presidents visited Turkey since they came to power.
Foreign Minister Gul said many freedoms were restricted in many countries of the world with the pretext of September 11 attacks, but Turkey, on the contrary, broadened its freedoms. He said relations were developed within the target of ''zero problem period'' with neighboring countries. Gul said, ''Turkey took important steps to make the region safe.'' He said, ''we should get rid of the clash psychology based on the assumption that 'we are surrounded with enemies''.
Noting that there were positive developments also on relations with people in the world, Gul said positive answers for Turkey's EU full membership increased from 10 percent to 40 percent. Gul added that this was valid also with Islam countries.
(AY-AÖ) 22.12.2003