Gul: Ajarian Administration Should Know That It Is A Part Of Georgia

ANKARA - Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday that Ajarian administration should know that it was a part of Georgia.
Replying a question about Georgian-Ajarian tension, Gul told reporters that they closely followed the developments, and noted that he talked to Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, on Monday on this issue.
Gul said Turkey expended help to Ajaria since it gained independence, noting that Ajaria region and Batumi had special importance for Ankara.
Stating that they wanted territorial integrity and political unity of Georgia to be protected, Gul said Ajaria had a special status yet that this status was again within the borders of Georgia and in a way that would not disrupt the territorial integrity.
Gul said, ''we advise them to act with restraint'', adding they attracted the attention to the possible uncertainties in the region that may be caused by acts of violence. Gul said any military operation or clash could cause deep wounds in the Caucasus.
Gul said everybody should be very careful, and noted that, ''Ajarian administration should also know that it is a part of Georgia and that it should act within the territorial and political unity of this country.''
Recalling that parliamentary elections would take place on March 28, Gul said he believed that Georgia would solve its problems through democratic ways.

GUL: WHY SHOULD THE INCIDENTS IN SYRIA SPREAD TURKEY? IS THERE TURKISH-KURDISH WAR IN TURKEY?
When journalists reminded Gul the concerns and allegations that the incidents which occurred between Kurds and Arabs in Syria could spread to Turkey, he said, ''those are not right. Why should it spread to Turkey?''
Gul said, ''as far as we see, there is an uneasiness the region. Everybody should help to prevent those incidents.''
''Who will benefit from this? A Kurdish-Arab clash would not be beneficial to Kurds, Arabs, Syria, Iran or Iraq. Thus, we should not lead people to panic. Everybody living in the region should be very conscious. Administrations of the region should also be careful and do everything for the happiness of their people.''

ERDOGAN: WE WANT DOMESTIC PEACE TO PREVAIL IN OUR NEIGHBORS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday regarding developments in Syria and Georgia that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had launched necessary initiatives calling on both Syria and Georgian authorities, particularly Georgia to act more sensitively towards those developments.
Replying to questions of reporters about developments in Syria and Georgia, Erdogan said, ''at the moment, anything related to us is out of question and besides, our foreign ministry has launched necessary initiatives asking Syrian and Georgian authorities, particularly Georgia, to act more sensitively. Because, lack of tranquility in Georgia unavoidably disturbs us.''
''We do not want lack of tranquility, but domestic peace to prevail in our neighboring countries. We wish that Syria and Georgia would settle domestic peace as soon as possible. I suppose that it would be like that. Although a little escalation seems to happen in Syria at the moment, they will overcome the incident through a peaceful climate,'' he said.
Asked whether any measure had been taken regarding escalation of incidents in Syria, Erdogan said that there were only information taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding, ''there was such an escalating tendency in yesterday's developments. They can be resolved, overcome before they spread throughout the country.''
(AA) 16.03.2004