ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that new era had recently begun in Iraq and Shiite-U.S. forces clashes had altered form.
Speaking on the Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), Gul evaluated latest developments about Iraq.
Noting that their was a very serious danger for Iraq which was facing a new situation, Gul stressed that Shiite people who were one of the important communities in Iraq had entered an open war.
Stating that people should act by being aware of realities on Iraqi territories, Gul said that the United States neglected it.
Gul said that Iraq's ethnic structure analysis could not be made properly and the United States trusted much Iraqi groups which made several recommendations to it. Gul said that those recommendations had started to turn out to be wrong and the United States also took Turkey's opinions into consideration.
Noting that they closely followed clashes in Iraq, Gul said Iraq's stability was very important to Turkey. Stressing that the United States should correct its mistakes, Gul said that Shiite people were a disciplined community that was quite loyal to their religious leader.
Stating that the issue concerned also Turkey, Gul added that those who came to Iraq from faraway would leave Iraq but neighboring peoples would continue living side by side.
(MS) 07.04.2004