ANKARA - The agreement that has been reached among Turkey, U.S., U.N. and Iraq about voluntary return of 13,000 refugees who are Turkish citizens living in Iraq, to Turkey, will be signed after its approval by the Council of Ministers.
The one-year agreement which is based on voluntariness, human dignity, which aims safe return and which takes transparency as the basis, can be extended upon the compromise of concerned sides.
The agreement that has been reached by bringing harmony between international laws and Turkish laws, brings refugees the opportunity of benefiting from the programme of return to villages and rehabilitation. As alternative to the regions which they left, refugees can also settle in 12 southeast provinces where the programme is implemented. Those who want to go to other regions will not benefit from the programme.
Sources said that an admission centre would be opened in Silopi for the returns, adding that Mahmur camp in north of Iraq would be totally evacuated and those who didn't want to return to Turkey would either integrate with Iraq or they would use the alternative of going to a third country.
Refugees who will fill in the documents to be handed out by U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and convey them to Turkish officials, will be brought to Turkey in groups of 250 persons once in every four weeks. U.S. and Iraqi officials will be responsible for the safe return of refugees.
Refugees will also benefit from reassociation law and a period of six months will be given to those who didn't do their military service before in line with the cabinet decision.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Multilateral Political Affairs Director General Daryal Batibay said that they targeted voluntary and safe return of nearly 13 thousand Turkish refugees from Iraq to Turkey.
Batibay said that most of Turkish refugees had gone to Iraq from the Southeastern Anatolia Region in 1990s due to terrorist acts.
Noting that a schedule had not seen set for return of Turkish refugees, Batibay said that the agreement would be signed after approval of the Council of Ministers.
Meanwhile, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Arthur Dewey said that they expected most of refugees to return to Turkey.
The first meeting about return of Turkish refugees in Iraq was held in Ankara in November of 2003.
(UK-AY) 23.01.2004