ISTANBUL - "Iraq`s territorial and political unity is a precondition for us. Iraq`s resources belong to all Iraqi people," Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
"We have suggested the coalition forces, particularly the USA, that Kirkuk should belong to people of Iraq under a special status, and this should be taken under guarantee in the constitution," Erdogan noted when answering questions of Altan Oymen, a columnist of Turkish Radikal daily; Michael Oreskes, the editor-in-chief of International Herald Tribune; and Marcus Spillmann, the editor-in-chief of Neue Zurcher Zeitung; following his speech in the 2007 World Congress of International Press Institute (IPI), in Istanbul.
Erdogan went on saying, "coalition forces should withdraw from Iraq, which has established its own security forces, as soon as possible. This is the ideal and expected thing. But, I think it will be wrong if the coalition forces withdraw from Iraq all of a sudden. I believe that withdrawal of coalition forces within a schedule will stop civil war in Iraq."
"We have problems in north of Iraq. The terrorist organization is stationed there, and the terrorist organization continues to cause problems in our country from northern Iraq. Our security forces, police and soldiers are taking necessary steps," he added.
On the other hand, "I am against 10 percent electoral threshold. But I see it necessary for my country at this moment," Erdogan commented.