Turkish Foreign Minister Considers Transfer Of Administration In Iraq Significant

ISTANBUL - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul considered on Monday transfer of Iraqi administration to Iraqi people ''good and significant.''
Gul told reporters that what should be done from now on was to extend necessary support to the Iraqi government.
Early turnover of power in Iraq was more significant, Gul said.
The coalition powers were scheduled to transfer the administration to Iraqi people on June 30, however, the power was transferred today.
The new Iraqi government would be in power for seven or eight months, Gul stated.
Gul said that the new government would prepare its own constitution.
Turkish Foreign Minister Gul said that Turkey would do its best to contribute to the process in Iraq.
Gul noted that Turkey would not send soldiers to Iraq under NATO's umbrella, but it could train Iraqi security forces.
Turkey could consider demand of the prime minister of the new Iraqi government who called on countries to train Iraqi security forces, Gul pointed out.
In the meantime, Gul met with his Macedonian counterpart Ilinka Mitreva, and British Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jack Straw.
Turkey is hosting NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Istanbul. Member countries are expected to release a final declaration on Iraq. The draft declaration encourages heads of state and government of 26 NATO members to extend support to the Iraqi government in the area of training its security forces.
The summit will end on Tuesday.
(BRC-AÖ) 28.06.2004