ANKARA - There was no change in point of view of the United States towards Turkey, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman said on Friday.
Edelman and British Ambassador to Turkey Peter Westmacott met with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal.
When recalled following the meeting about U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell's words regarding Turkey, Edelman told reporters that point of view of the United States towards Turkey had not changed.
Edelman stated that Powell, in his mentioned speech, stressed Turkey's importance as a secular and democratic country and meant to say that 98 percent of Turkey's population was Muslim.
When asked why Powell compared Turkey to Pakistan, Edelman said that Powell mentioned many countries in his speech and stated in his speech that all those countries had similar traditions and history.
Edelman pointed out that the United States considered all those countries within the framework of their own location and Turkey and Pakistan were two important allies of the United States in fight against international terrorism.
Appearing on a German television channel, Powell had said that ''there would be an Islam Republic in Iraq like Islam Republics in Turkey and Pakistan.'' He also noted that ''but, it would be within constitutional framework, within the framework of Shariah law and Koran law.''
Powell had stated that ''the United States expected a democratic Islam state in Iraq'' and said that ''there was not any reason which showed that Islam and democracy could not co-exist.''
Colin Powell had added ''why shouldn't there be an Islam country like Turkey and a democracy as in Turkey?''
(BRC) 02.04.2004