BY SAMI KOHEN
MILLIYET- In international meetings, disputes can sometimes be resolved. Diplomacy can ensure that a joint statement or declaration satisfactory to all parties is signed.
Can this mean that all related parties have really come to an agreement and, more importantly, that every party will fulfill the duties it obligated itself to?
Of course there are some success stories along these lines. But in the near past we've seen how some agreements lose their validity before the ink even has a chance to dry.
The expended conference held in Baghdad by countries neighboring Iraq, permanent members of the UN Security Council and the representatives of three international organizations reminded us of this general phenomenon.
This week we had the opportunity to discuss the questions above with Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, the prime minister's foreign policy advisor, and Ambassador Oguz Celikkol, Turkey's special representative to Iraq.
The most important article of the declaration signed at the end of Baghdad meeting was related to the support all the participants extend to Iraq's territorial integrity, national unity and sovereignty. As I pointed out in a recent column, this is a principle Turkey has defended since the beginning of the Iraq crisis. It is very important that now the five big states of the Security Council and representatives from the UN, Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) also agree with this principle.
At first sight the statements in the declaration may be seen as an announcement of things already known. In fact all countries -- small or big, near or far -- favor Iraq's territorial integrity and national unity in their official statements. None says the opposite, supporting its disintegration or the formation of new states on its territory.
Then what is the meaning of this declaration? Turkish officials say that this is a new official commitment binding the parties, and that statements or actions to the contrary would mean violation of the undertaking.
The announcement of an international consensus about the integrity of Iraq is at the same time a strong message warning those harboring separatist aspirations -- namely some Iraqi Kurdish administrators.
Another important article of the declaration is about the fight against terrorism. In that part of the declaration, all parties indicate that they support Iraq's efforts against terrorism. The classification of the attacks in Iraq as `terrorism' and the approval of all parties, including Iran, of that definition is meaningful. Iran is known to be accused of supporting some terrorist groups in Iraq, although it denies this. The article also touches upon the infiltration from Iraq's borders. Infiltration to Turkey should also be included in that framework.
We hope that all this aren't just commitments on paper.