ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said on Wednesday that Iraq`s territorial integrity depended on compromise of Iraqi people.
Speaking at a weekly press conference, Tan said countries in the region would gain a say in case such a compromise can not be reached and in case there is turmoil.
Tan said this was also stressed in UN Security Council resolutions, and noted that, ``this depends on agreement of Iraqi people. Reaching this compromise is own work of Iraqi people. Regional countries and international community will gain a say in case they fail to reach a compromise and in case this leads to turmoil.``
Tan said Turkey`s views were conveyed to Iraqi people, stating that there was compromise in international community in this respect.
``Solution of security problems within Iraq soon is indispensable,`` Tan said, noting that Turkey wished peace and tranquility to prevail in Iraq soon.
Asked if information was called from the United States for truck driver Faysal Demir who was killed in Iraq and whether or not U.S. soldiers who killed Demir were drunk, Tan said several statements were made after the incident and that they closed followed what happened.
When the journalists reminded Tan that Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul met with columnist Seymour M. Hersh at the end of May, he confirmed that Gul and Hersh met at a breakfast.
Recalling that Hersh was a world famous journalist winning Pulitzer award, Tan said Hersh asked for the meeting.
In an article in the New Yorker Magazine, columnist Seymour M. Hersh claimed that Israeli intelligence and military operatives were now quietly at work in northern part of Iraq, providing training for Kurdish commando units and running covert operations inside Kurdish areas of Iran and Syria.
(AY-AÖ) 23.06.2004