TOKYO - Turkish Armed Forces exerted great efforts for protection of civilians in its combat against terrorism, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Thursday.
Gul delivered a speech and responded to questions of Japanese journalists at Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.
Gul said Turkey had close relations with Iraq replying to a question on Turkey's operations into the north of Iraq and its relations with the regional administration there.
Turkey was in favor of territorial integrity of Iraq and there was not a hostility between Turkey and Iraqi Kurds, Gul said.
President Gul said Turkey had been fighting against terrorist organization PKK which took shelter in the north of Iraq.
"Terrorist organization harms Turkey. We are conducting operations against terrorist organization. Operations target only terrorists," Gul said.
Answering a question on Turkey-mediated indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria, Gul said Turkey was a country spreading stability in its region and he hoped that a lasting peace would take place between the two countries.
Replying to a question on Iran's nuclear efforts, Gul said the issue must be solved by the means of diplomacy and Turkey was against weapons of mass destruction.
(EÖ-MS)
(DIP)