ANKARA - Turkish FM Ali Babacan said an intensive dialogue between Turkish and U.S. military authorities is underway.
Babacan responded to the questions on Turkey`s foreign policy in an exclusive interview with the Fortune magazine.
He affirmed Turkey would become one of the biggest economies of the world in 2023, indicating that Turkey should also be one of the 10 most influential countries in foreign policy.
Asked to comment on the allegations that Turkey`s ground operation into north of Iraq was halted because of a suggestion from the United States, Babacan recalled that Turkey, United States and Turkey declared terrorist PKK organization as a common enemy.
"A tripartite mechanism has been established among the military for actionable intelligence sharing with the common directives of Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President George Bush," Babacan noted.
Responding to a question about the duration of the operation against the terrorist organization, Babacan said those decisions were made by military authorities.
Underlining that there was a serious change in the messages issued by the regional administration in north of Iraq after the operations, Babacan said, "undoubtedly, style of our relations with them will be modified if this administration manages to put a distance between itself and the PKK; believes that PKK should be eliminated; and prove those by actions."
Babacan said Turkey does not have any hidden agenda or hostile intention about Iraq.
When asked why the Arabic countries, which have in the past reacted against previous cross-border operation, this time supported Turkey, Babacan said executives of the Turkish government had paid visits to Middle East countries for this purpose.
(AY-ULG)