ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Sunday that his call made in a meeting of countries neighboring Iraq to set up security and cooperation mechanism did not mean setting up a separate market or union.
Gul told reporters aboard the plane in his return from Kuwait that his call to the regional countries to set up security and cooperation mechanism should not be misunderstood, stating that his call did not mean to set up a separate market or a union.
Gul said in the meeting he told the regional countries to solve their own problems, noting that he also said role of U.N. should gradually be increased, and that U.N. had to undertake an important and central role.
Gul said Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said he considered disappointment of Turkmens about representation as rightful, and that difficulties on the issue would be overcome when Iraqi Governing Council was broadened or renewed.
Gul said the important thing was goodwill and sincerity among people.
Gul said that final statement of meeting of countries neighboring Iraq included all the issues Turkey considered as important, and noted that it was important that Iraq should say ''yes'' to those. He said preserving territorial integrity and political unity of Iraq was not only a duty of neighboring countries, but the duty of Iraq.
Describing the meeting in Kuwait as positive and beneficial, Gul said he believed that things would progress well in Iraq from now on.
Gul said, ''there are still several problems. However, everybody is aware that if things do not go well, both Iraqi people and neighboring countries will have difficulty. Thus, everybody is aware of what are rational and what should not be done.''
Noting that his call to set up a security and cooperation mechanism in the region should not be misunderstood, Gul said, ''Turkey is on the way to become a full member of the European Union (EU). I mean, as the owners of the region, it is our responsibility to solve the problems of the region. Clashes do not bring anything. Just as Europe understood that they should solve their problems themselves after they experienced two world wars and millions of people died, we should set up such mechanisms in our own region because we live in a problematic region. We should turn this region into a place where there is no more clashes, disputes, and bloodshed. Peace, stability, regional cooperation should prevail in this region. We may be a member of the EU in the future, but we will still be in this region. As we are owners of this region, it is our responsibility to set up some mechanisms to prevent potential clashes in the region beforehand.''
Gul said everybody welcomed his call, and that everybody said they should work on this issue.
Foreign Minister Gul said at the meetings he stated that Turkmens were treated unjustly, and that Iraq was also their homeland, so that those groups should be represented. Gul said he told that Turkmens were disappointed and that Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari shared his ideas.
Gul said Zebari told him that they would be in an effort to overcome the difficulties of their Turkmen brothers when Iraqi Governing Council was broadened on renewed.
Replying to a question, Gul said he was sure that there would not be an ethnical or religious federation in Iraq.
In a statement he made at Ankara's Esenboga Airport, Gul said the meeting was productive noting that confidence among regional countries gradually increased.
Gul said sincere and open talks were made, and that results of this would be obtained. He said the next meeting would be made in Egypt.
Replying to a question about negotiation process in Cyprus, Gul said preparations already started by the TRNC delegation and Turkish delegation who would expend support to them, and that legal preparations were made.
Stating that there were many things to be done, Gul said, ''there is a very difficult process ahead of us. Preparations have already started because of this.''
(AY-AÖ) 16.02.2004