TEHRAN - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Saturday that the protection of Iraq's territorial and political unity was important not only for Iraq, but for all regional countries.
Gul, who held contacts in Iran on Saturday left Iran for Ankara on Sunday morning.
Speaking in the joint news conference after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, Gul said that everybody should do his best not to add new problems to existing problems in Iraq and noted that they exchanged views with Kharazi about the importance of protecting the territorial integrity of Iraq.
Gul expressed pleasure over the development of relations with Iran in all fields.
Gul stated that he came to Iran to express the condolences of the Turkish nation and government due to the earthquake disaster in Iran, adding ''Turkish nation and Turkey deeply felt the pain of this earthquake. We deeply share your pain, because we had experienced the same a few years ago in Turkey. We understand very well the difficulties of Iran and we want to fulfil our mission to heal the wounds. We sent first aid and Red Crescent teams and now we try to do some permanent things. We carry the prefabricated huts to Bam by railway.''
Gul noted that the relations among regional countries were getting stronger, adding that ''we hope the recent developments to be beneficial to regional nations. If security issues are sorted out, stability and peace is restored, the resource of regional countries will start to be used for the prosperity of the people.''
Gul stressed that having mutual visits between Turkey and Iran were normal and pleasing, adding that the economic relations between the two countries improved recently and the trade volume increased. Expressing pleasure over the amendments made in Iranian laws regarding foreign capital, Gul said that similar arrangements were made in Turkey and those amendments made both countries more attractive in respect of foreign capital.''
Upon a question about the news telling that Turkey would give base to the U.S., Gul said that those news was not true adding that ''Turkey is a NATO member, we have alliance relations with the U.S. There is no new development beyond that. There is no development such as Turkey's giving land or airport.''
Gul underlined that Turkey used its alliance relations with the U.S. in a way that would bring prosperity and stability to the region.
Iranian Foreign Minister Kharazi said in his part that the territorial integrity of Iraq had to be maintained.
Noting that there was no consensus of opinion about foundation of a federation in Iraq, Kharazi said that the Iraqi Governing Council's leaving the discussion of this issue to a later date by when the Constitution would be prepared was on the agenda. This decision was important both for Iraq and also for the region, he said adding that such a decision could cause certain changes in the region.
Pointing out that installation of security in Iraq was important for all neighbouring countries, Kharazi said that meetings on Iraqi issue was important. He said that discussions among neighbouring countries on Iraq continued, adding that neighbour countries of Iraq would come together in Kuwait. This meeting would be a good opportunity to take up the territorial integrity, stability and security of Iraq, he said adding that Iran favoured foundation of a government which would be based on the will of the Iraqi people and which would respect the rights of neighbouring countries.
Kharazi said that in his meeting with Gul, they discussed improvement of relations between Turkey and Iran, developments in the region, improving economic relations between the two countries, cooperation in cultural and political fields. Kharazi said that the two countries were willing to make joint capital investments, adding that the export of Iranian natural gas to Europe via Turkey was also on the agenda.
Diplomatic sources said that in the meeting of Gul with Kharazi, both sides put forward their views noting that Turkey and Iran favoured the territorial and political unity of Iraq. Kharazi said that Iraq should be a nation state whose territorial integrity was protected, adding Iran didn't favour division on ethnic and religious basis.
The Turkish side gave the message during the meeting that everybody, not only Turkey and Iran should show sensitivity regarding the territorial and political unity of Iraq as this concerned the whole region.
The Turkish side also noted that everybody should do its mission not to cause problem and everybody should act in common sense in a period by when the basic laws were being prepared in Iraq.
In the meeting, the issue of terrorist organization PKK/KADEK also came to agenda. The Turkish side wanted Iraq to declare PKK-KADEK as a terrorist organization, but it could not get definite guarantee from Iran about this issue. Sources said that nevertheless Iranian Minister Kharazi said that they would continue joint studies about this issue.
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami also received Gul the same evening. Mohammad Rýza Aref, the First Vice President also received Gul.
(ÖÞ) 11.01.2004