Erdogan: Turkey Doesn't Favor An Ethnic-based Formation In Iraq

ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Turkey did not favor an ethnic-based formation in Iraq.
Erdogan received German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer before he departed from Ankara.
Prime Minister Erdogan said that Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity should be preserved.
Erdogan noted that Iraq's natural resources should be used by Iraqi people.
Turkey did not favor an ethnic-based formation in Iraq, Erdogan stressed.
Erdogan said that all the above mentioned issues were necessary to establish a democratic Iraq.
Turkey's approach to the issue was also shared by Iran and Syria, Erdogan added.
Erdogan also expressed Turkey's sensitivity about the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK in the meeting.
German Foreign Minister Fischer came to Ankara on Wednesday.
After holding a tete-a-tete meeting and presiding the meeting between Turkish and German delegations, Fischer and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul held a joint press conference.
In the press conference, Fischer stressed that Germany would continue to support Turkey's road to European Union (EU) membership.
(BRC-AY) 22.01.2004