ANKARA - Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that Turkey expected much more support from northern part of Iraq and European countries in the fight against terrorism.
Burak Ozugergin, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at the weekly press briefing on Thursday, "we will not take measures in a way making concessions from our freedoms and security. There is no need to worry to this end. We rely on Turkish democracy."
Upon a question about news reports claiming that Greece provided one of leading names of the PKK terrorist organization with a residence permit, Ozugergin said, "for a long time, we have kept saying that we expected much more support from Europe in the fight against the terrorist organization. We expect a more influential and more tangible cooperation with the EU. Since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated on numerous occasions, PKK members are provided with some facilities in some European countries."
Replying to another question about approval of the Prime Ministry motion to extend by one year the government`s mandate to order military strikes against the PKK terrorist organization in northern Iraq by the parliament, Ozugergin said that they informed the relevant countries on targets of the motion to prevent any misunderstandings.
Asked whether they held any contacts with the local administration in northern Iraq following the last week`s terrorist attack on a gendarmerie outpost in Aktutun, Ozugergin said, "this is not a matter of Turkey-Iraq. It is a matter of terrorism. We expect much more from northern Iraq. It is serious that the terrorist organization could attack on a military base in Turkey by using heavy weapons in northern Iraq."
Upon a question about exchange of intelligence between Turkey and the United States, Ozugergin said, "we maintain our exchange of intelligence 24 hours a day."
(UK-AÖ)
(DIP)