ANKARA - Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the Administration Law for Iraqi State in the Transition Period should be prepared on the basis of existing 18 provinces and should have a content which would consolidate the unity of the country, as this would be to the interest of all sections in Iraq.
Upon a question about the draft of the interim constitution presented by Iraqi Governing Council member Adnan Pacaci, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tan said that according to the political schedule, the Administration Law for Iraqi State in the Transition Period should be prepared until February 28 and submitted to the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and that Turkey closely monitored the studies.
Tan said that Iraq's future constitutional structure would be prepared by a council to be elected by people's votes next year, adding that it was very wrong to take steps that would condition the study from the beginning.
The preparation of the law on the basis of 18 existing provinces and in a way that would consolidate the unity of Iraq would be to the interest of all sections in Iraq, Tan said.
Tan noted that the medical treatment of 28 more Iraqis who were wounded in the suicide attacks in Irbil would be made in Turkey.
Tan said that 28 wounded persons who were members of the Iraqi Kurdish Democrat Party (KDP) and Iraqi Patriotic Union for Kurdistan (PUK) were brought to Ankara with their relatives by a plane rented by Foreign Ministry.
Noting that the transfer and medical treatment cost of the wounded Iraqis was met by the Foreign Ministry, Tan said that three of the seven Iraqis who were earlier brought to Turkey were treated and sent back to their country. Tan noted that two other wounded Iraqis went to Germany and Sweden upon their own wish to continue their treatment there.
Following the suicide attacks that took place in PUK and KDP offices on February 1 in Irbil, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul proposed to help the wounded Iraqis by treating them in Turkey. On February 6, seven more Iraqis were brought to Ankara for medical treatment by a private plane hired by Foreign Ministry.
(Öª-AÖ) 18.02.2004