ANKARA - Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the decision taken by the cabinet in response to the call of U.N. Resolution No. 1483 was government's own initiative and there was no demand from other countries on this issue.
A Foreign Ministry statement noted that U.N. Security Council took a decision on May 22, 2003 calling member states to contribute to international efforts for reinstallation of peace and security in Iraq and help to rebuilding of the institutions in that country, adding that Turkey had welcomed the decision.
''The U.N. Security Council Resolution No. 1511 dated October 16, 2003 also confirms the Resolution No. 1483. Today forces of nearly 40 countries which abided by that call, are deployed in Iraq,'' it was noted.
Pointing out that protection of Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity carried out vital importance for Turkey, Foreign Ministry said that ''a cabinet decision was put into practice on June 23, 2003 that permitted use of certain ports, airports, facilities and bases by friendly and ally countries for the activities foreseen under the U.N. Resolution and in line with the principles and procedures to be determined by General Staff.''
''By taking into consideration the importance of Iraq's becoming a stable, peaceful, independent country for Turkey, the government took this decision on its own initiative. There was no demand from the U.S. or any other country in that regard. The confidentiality of the mentioned decision was lifted upon the demand of Foreign Ministry on November 13, 2003,'' it was noted.
Noting that the U.S. applied to Turkey in December to use the Tenth Tanker Base Command/Incirlik base for rotation of part of its deployed forces in Iraq, Foreign Ministry said that the rotation covered 60,000 U.S. soldiers and it would last for four months.
All concerned institutions and experts including Foreign Ministry, General Staff evaluated the demand of the U.S. in constitutional, legal, military and political aspects in a comprehensive way, Ministry said adding ''as a result of these evaluations, it has been concluded that there was no need for the U.S. demand to be considered within the scope of Article 92 of Constitution on Declaration of State of War and Authorisation to Permit the Use of Armed Forces.''
Foreign Ministry said that the demand of the U.S. was a rotation activity foreseen for a temporary period of time and it was restricted to transit passages from Turkey. ''In a clearer expression, Turkey has not considered the foreign armed forces, which will stay in Turkey for transit purpose and for a period of changing the planes in line with the activities permitted by U.N. Security Council, as being armed forces in classical meaning of the term. The mentioned article of the Constitution took into consideration such situations. The same situation was also considered in the same way in the regulation dated 22.06.1996 on rules to be abided by foreign naval and air forces which will visit ports, air bases and airports of Turkey and which will move within Turkish territorial waters. According to the regulation the right to determine the number, to restrict the staying period of those naval and air forces which will be permitted to enter Turkish territorial waters, ports, airbases and airports, belongs to Turkish government.''
Noting that the decision was not related to the permission which the government got from the parliament on October 7, 2003 about sending soldiers to Iraq, Foreign Ministry said that ''there is no secret or open agreement concluded with the U.S. in this issue. The principles and rules regarding the military technical regulations about the rotation have been conveyed to the U.S. side.''
In the statement, it was also noted that Italy, Hungary and Poland benefited from certain facilities under the coordination of General Staff within the scope of the cabinet decision dated June 23, 2003 and those countries transferred their aid such as food, medicine and fuel to Iraq via Turkey.
The cabinet decision no 5755 permits use of ports, airports, facilities and bases of Turkey by friendly and ally countries (in line with U.N. Security Council Resolution No. 1483) for logistic support covering transfer of military equipment/material and personnel for a period of one year.
(Öª) 14.01.2004