ANKARA - Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer expressed on Monday Turkey's hope that the situation in Iraq would normalize and ''friend and brother'' Iraqi nation would have (to use) the right to self-determination in the possible shortest time.
Sezer and Iraq's Head of State Ghazi al-Yawer held a joint press conference following their tete-a-tete meeting and the meeting between Turkish and Iraqi delegations.
Turkish President Sezer noted that Turkey was making use of all diplomatic means in order to assure security and stability in the region, and in this context, attached particular importance to neighboring Iraq.
Stating that he discussed bilateral relations with al-Yawer, Sezer said that he had the opportunity to express Turkey's views and expectations in detail. Stressing Turkey's deeply-rooted historical relations with Iraq, Sezer said, ''I exchanged views with al-Yawer about further improvement of our relations.''
-ATTACKS IN IRAQ-
Turkish President Sezer expressed regret to see that security and stability in Iraq could not totally be restored despite all efforts of the Iraqi interim government and multinational force.
He said that armed and terrorist attacks were directly affecting not only Iraqi people but also foreigners who were in this country to meet Iraq's needs.
''Attacks against Turkish citizens working in Iraq and attempts to take them hostage increased Turkey's concerns'', Sezer stated.
Sezer said that he and al-Yawer stressed the necessity of implementing efficient measures to stop these attacks and the importance of preventing bilateral economic and trade relations to be affected negatively from the attacks.
''Iraq is one of our prominent trade partners. We believe that al-Yawer's visit will further improve our economic and trade relations,'' Sezer said.
Sezer pointed out that ''there were difficulties two countries should get rid of to establish a more comprehensive and efficient cooperation'', and added that ''enabling secure transportation and trade was one of their main goals''.
-PKK/KONGRA-GEL-
Turkish President Sezer said that ''another important security issue between two countries was the presence of a terrorist organization that targeted Turkey using Iraq as a base'', and noted, ''I told President al-Yawer that we expect that the new Iraq won't be a shelter for terrorist organizations, and will try to end the presence of terrorist organization PKK/KONGRA-GEL on his soil.''
''Underlining the reality that all cities of Iraq belongs to all of Iraqi people, we think that attempts by some groups to possess Kirkuk, where Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians and other Iraqis co-exist, will jeopardize Kirkuk's and Iraq's stability and peace. I also expressed this view during my meeting with al-Yawer,'' Sezer stated.
Sezer went on saying, ''Turkey will support all steps to be taken by the Iraqi interim government headed by al-Yawer in order to create a democratic and developed Iraq living in peace, unity and stability and, Turkey will help Iraqi people in this process.''
''Also, we will continue to support efforts of the Iraqi people to assure and strengthen stability, meet basic needs of their country, complete political transition in the possible shortest time, and reconstruct their country. Iraqi Head of State al-Yawer has paid his first official visit to our country. I believe that this visit, which demonstrates the importance the new Iraqi administration attaches to our country, will not only strengthen our close friendly relations with Iraq, but also contribute to regional stability,'' Sezer added.
AL-YAWER SAYS IRAQ WILL NOT CONDONE A THREAT AGAINST SECURITY OF NEIGHBORS
Noting, ''we are pleased to pay the first official visit to brother and friendly Turkey after sovereignty was transferred in Iraq,'' al-Yawer said, ''there are deep-rooted and sound relations which tie two countries to each other.''
Al-Yawer said, ''Iraqi government and people believe that Turkey can undertake an important and constructive role on a regional level.'' He added, ''Iraqis wanted to develop and extend cooperation with Turkey on all areas.''
Al-Yawer said that ''they exchanged views with Sezer about elimination of obstacles and difficulties hindering bilateral cooperation between Turkey and Iraq''.
Noting, ''various issues were taken up during meetings,'' al-Yawer said, ''we have expressed our opinions to develop relations on every area with devotion to mutual neighborhood relations and by abstaining to intervene in domestic affairs.''
Al-Yawer said that they would not condone any organization's survival in Iraqi territory which would be a threat to the security of neighbors.
(GC-ULG) 16.08.2004