NEW YORK - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Turkey wanted to further improve its strategic partnership with the United States.
Erdogan delivered a speech on Turkey's foreign policy in the 21st century at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and then replied to questions of participants.
Prime Minister Erdogan said that there had been some problems in Turkish-U.S. relations in the past, but all were left in the past.
Erdogan suggested that two countries should look at the future now.
Recalling developments that occurred during U.S. intervention in Iraq, Erdogan said, ''just as the U.S. congress is sovereign, everybody should respect to those who believe in will of parliament and democracy in Turkey. Non-adoption of the motion on deployment of foreign troops in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish troops abroad was the will of the parliament. Moreover, it was not rejected because votes for the motion was more than against votes. But, the parliament could not reach the necessary threshold for adoption of the motion. Then, the United States made a demand about opening the air corridor. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell talked beside me. The United States only wanted the air corridor to be opened. We asked if the United States had any demand about land and sea. Mr. Powell only wanted air corridor to be opened and we gave this permission.''
Erdogan recalled that the U.S. press published ugly, humorous articles and caricatures prior to the motion and those articles and caricatures were effective on the voting.
Asked what those caricatures and articles were, Erdogan said, ''I think it is not ethically convenient for me to explain all these. Turkish media also published these articles and caricatures taken from the U.S. press. Now, they don't have any importance. Yesterday was yesterday. Let's look at today and the future.''

ERDOGAN: MOVES FOR A FEDERATION IN IRAQ WILL CAUSE DIFFICULT SITUATION IN FUTURE
Upon a question, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ''there is a demand to establish a federation in north of Iraq. We approve neither ethnic nor religious based federation. These developments will cause difficult situation for Iraq in the future.''
(BRC-AÖ) 27.01.2004