ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul returned from Cairo, Egypt to Turkey on Wednesday.
Gul attended the meeting of the Regional Initiative on Iraq in Cairo.
Speaking to reporters at Ankara's Esenboga Airport, Gul said that neighboring countries with Iraq met for the first time after transfer of sovereignty to Iraqi interim government.
Stating that Iraqi Foreign Minister also participated in the meetings, Gul said that foreign ministers focused on development of cooperation between Iraq and its neighboring countries in the meeting.
Gul said that the final statement which was released after the meeting noted that regional countries should support Iraq during its political transitional period, adding that the statement also underlined security problems in Iraq. Gul noted, ''it stressed that some terrorist components in Iraq also threaten neighboring countries.''
He said that it was noted that Iraq should be purified from terrorists and other armed groups which threatened Iraq and neighboring countries and there should be fight against those groups. Gul added that upon proposal of Iraq, interior ministers of Iraq and its neighbor countries would meet in Tehran soon and discuss security issues.
Gul said that the importance of neighbor countries' role in transitional period in Iraq was also highlighted, stating that it was decided that studies under the U.N. should be developed.
''I explained once again that we can work together with interim government. I also expressed our concerns and views over Kirkuk,'' he noted.
Stating that he said in the meeting that what was necessary for Iraq to reach stability as soon as possible should be done, Gul said that his views were also approved by participants of the meeting.
Gul noted that the joint aim was to develop cooperation and carry out studies for Iraq to reach freedom and prosperity by preserving its unity.
Noting that meetings that were launched by initiatives of Turkey were very satisfactory, Gul added that the following meeting would be held in Jordan.
(EÖ-AÖ) 22.07.2004