VIENNA - Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Monday that they decided that there was no need to call for permission of the parliament under Article 92 of the Constitution for use of Incirlik base for rotation of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
Arinc replied questions of the A.A correspondent on board on their way to Vienna.
When Arinc was reminded his statements that he would examine whether or not there would be any need for motion on use of Incirlik base for rotation of U.S. soldiers in Iraq, he said, ''rotation of U.S. soldiers in Iraq and their equipment on route of Iraq-Incirlik-Europe-U.S. are in question. The soldiers leave Turkey within 24 hours and without spending the night at Incirlik. General Staff covers the operation.''
Arinc said U.N. resolution is the base of Council of Ministers, noting that such kind of activities are under the authority of the government with the decision of the parliament and U.N. agreement dated 1954.
Arinc criticized efforts to form a federal structure in Iraq on ethnic and religious basis, noting that Turkey had a strong policy for Iraq.
Arinc said, ''in any case we want preservation of Iraq's territorial integrity and that every ethnic or religious group should express themselves within a democratic structure. It should be accepted that Iraq's territory and natural riches belong to Iraq people.''
Arinc said formation of a federal structure based on ethnic roots and religion would not be right, and that it would bring uneasiness to Iraq and would fail to contribute to regional peace.
Arinc said, ''we think that Turkey's oppositions in this respect would be shared both by U.S. and every country which wants territorial integrity of Iraq.''
(AY) 19.01.2004