ANKARA - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan got information from Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Chairman Faruk Abdurrahman and Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani about the recent situation in Iraq and conveyed them Turkey`s views on the issue.
Turkmens were the main issue discussed during Erdogan`s meeting with Talabani and Abdurrahman.
Erdogan focused on preserving unity and integrity of Iraqi Turkmens in his meeting with Abdurrahman. Erdogan stressed the importance of congress of different Turkmen groups dated May 26, 2004, and urged the decisions taken in the congress to be put into practice.
Erdogan said Turkmens were not represented adequately in interim government, stating that during NATO summit, he would convey U.S. President George Bush that Turkmens should be represented in the government.
Erdogan also advised Turkmens to work in discipline and be organized for the census.
Abdurrahman said Iraqi Turkmens were not represented in the interim government in proportion to their population, noting they expected support of Turkey. Abdurrahman said Turkmens were inadequately represented not only in the new cabinet, but also in bureaucracy.
Erdogan in his meeting with PUK leader Talabani expressed the dissatisfaction over the level of representation of Turkmens in the interim government.
Erdogan also said formation of a federation in Iraq based on ethnicity or sect can not be accepted.
Recalling that Turkey contributed to tranquility atmosphere in Iraq, Erdogan said Turkish soldiers would not have been in Iraq for war if they had gone to Iraq.
Erdogan said stability could be restored in regions in Afghanistan under the control of Turkish soldiers. ``Even the German soldiers carry Turkish flags in Afghanistan.``
Talabani said misleading information came to Turkey from north of Iraq recently, and proposed a civilian working group or coordination committee to be set up to prevent this.
Erdogan noted down this proposal of Talabani, but did not comment on it.
Speaking about Kirkuk issue, Talabani said they wanted to implement joint administration formula for Kirkuk, and stated that they called for a formula in which nobody was in minority status and where decisions were taken unanimously.
Talabani said terrorist organization was in dissolution process, and noted that they would oppose to actions that would create uneasiness in Turkey.
(AY-AÖ) 23.06.2004