ANKARA (CIHAN) - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Abdullah Gül denied news in the media that Turkey responded positively to an ethnic federation system in Iraq giving autonomy to Iraqi Kurds. He said Turkey would reject an ethnic federation system that could possibly lead to a partition of Iraq.
The American historian Henry Barkey alleged that Turkey would not reject a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq and also Turkey would respond positively to an ethnic federation system that would give autonomy to the Kurdish federation in Northern Iraq.
Gül said that if people determine their policies based on words that are alleged made by government officials, great mistakes will be made.
Commenting on the new state system in Iraq, Abdullah Gül said that the Iraqi people will determine the future of Iraq and a new government elected by the Iraqi people in a general election will prepare a Constitution. The Constitution will be put to the people`s vote. Gül said that Turkey would respect a Constitution that was approved by all the Iraqi people. Gül added that each country had its own characteristics and these characteristics could be stated in their Constitution, but Turkey was totally against regulations that would lead to a partition of Iraq.
Gül also denied news in Israeli Haaretz daily newspaper that Turkey and Israel would found a joint ammunition depot to decrease Israel`s and Turkey`s military expenditures. The Israeli Haaretz daily newspaper alleged on Monday that Turkey and Israel would found a joint ammunition depot and this depot would be used if one of the country that goes to war with a country, so the two countries could decrease their military expenditures.
Commenting on the report of US Pulitzer winner journalist Seymour Hersh that the Israeli intelligence service has been collaborating with Iraqi Kurds and has been training Kurdish commandos, Gül said that Israel guaranteed Turkey on the issue that there was no such activity of the Israeli intelligence services.
Gül said that Turkish Foreign Ministry has been receiving news and intelligence and he shared Turkey`s doubts for Northern Iraq with Israeli officials. Israeli officials guaranteed Turkey on the issue that Israel has not been following such a policy.
Seymour Hersh said in the New Yorker magazine that Israeli agents have been provoking Kurdish groups to form an independent state in Northern Iraq and cooperating with them to use them against Iran, which is accused of seeking building nuclear program.
Gül said, "Israeli officials say that these are not true. We hope so. Of course we should rely on the statements. I hope the reliance does not result in failure."