Gul: Our Visit To The United States Was Very Successful

WASHINGTON/ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said, ''our visit to the United States was very successful. U.S. administration appreciated our initiative to add human rights and democratization dimension to the strategic relations.''
Gul, who has accompanied Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to the United States, returned to Turkey on Saturday.
Responding questions of journalists aboard the plane on his way back from the United States to Turkey, Gul said, ''our visit to the United States was very successful. It was the second visit to the United States during political power of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). However, it was the most important and comprehensive visit. We observed that there has been a common vision between Turkey and the United States on all important issues such as the Middle East, Iraq and Cyprus. U.S. administration appreciated our initiative to add human rights and democratization dimension to the strategic relations.''
Referring to development of democratization, transparency and expansion of freedoms in the Middle East, Gul said, ''first of all, we are making all these reforms for our own people. However, our achievements have positive impacts both in Turkey and abroad.''
Noting that Iraq was one of issues which were high on agenda during their visit to the United States, Gul said, ''an Iraq which acquired democratic stability will be beneficial for the region. As we said on numerous occasions, all natural and energy resources of Iraq should belong to Iraqi people.''
Upon a question about mediation among Israel, Syria and Palestine, Gul told reporters, ''the sides are waiting for our contribution with great interest.''
When asked, ''your visit to the United States coincided with the raid against the Democratic Solution Party, one of sub-organizations of terrorist organization of PKK, in Mosul. What do you think?'' Gul said, ''it was not a coincidence. I believe that the United States will take necessary steps to protect its credibility. The raid was one of these steps.''
GUL: ''AK PARTY'S REFORMIST POLICIES HAVE CREATED GREAT IMPACT IN UNITED STATES''
Gul said, ''the AK Party is a political party respecting values of our people. Reformist policies of the AK Party have created great impact in the United States.''
''We have made all these reforms for our people. If you achieve success in your own country first, your credibility in the world increases,'' he added.
(UK-AÖ) 31.01.2004