Turkey Is Concerned About Shiite - U.S. Clashes In Iraq

ANKARA - Turkey was concerned about Shiite-U.S. clashes in Iraq and stability in Iraq was among Turkey's priorities, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said on Wednesday in a weekly press conference.
Tan said that protection and further strengthening of stability in Iraq was among the most important and primary expectations of Turkey.
Noting that Turkey has been concerned about the prevailing violence and clashes in Iraq which occurred in recent days, Tan said, ''we are expecting everybody to act with utmost attention and care for all Iraqi people's reaching the level which they can use their democratic rights and freedoms.''
When asked whether they had contacts with the United States within this scope, Tan said that contacts with related sides were continuing.
More than 150 people including 20 coalition soldiers died during the clashes between Shiite supporters of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and coalition forces in various cities of Iraq since Sunday.
(GC-AÖ) 07.04.2004