Gul: We Have Rescued All Turkish Citizens Who Are Reported To Be Kept Hostage In Iraq

TALLINN - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''we have rescued all Turkish citizens who were reported to be hostage in Iraq.''
Gul replied questions of reporters aboard the plane on his way to Estonian capital Tallinn on Thursday.
Gul strongly reacted to the accusations of the opposition claiming that the government remains silent concerning Turkish hostages who were kidnapped in Iraq.
Gul recalled the criticisms of the opposition which said, ''French government launched every initiative when French citizens were kidnapped in Iraq, but Turkish government remained silent when Turkish citizens were kidnapped.''
Gul said, ''we rescued all Turkish citizens who were reported to be kidnapped in Iraq.'' He added, ''if we listen to the advises of the opposition, we should leave Iraq, and this cannot happen.''
Gul recalled, ''when first kidnappings occurred, we held meetings, took measures and warned related institutions.'' He said, ''some of the measures were revealed and some of them not. There are so many Turkish citizens in Iraq. I am sure that Iraqi people are also uneasy about kidnappings because they know the strength and power of Turkey and its support to Iraqi people.''

-VISITS OF TALABANI AND BARZANI-

Gul said, ''Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union for Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK), and Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) official Nechirvan Barzani, offered some solutions with goodwill about this issue and we will assess them.''
Upon a question about PKK/Kongra-Gel terrorist organization, Gul said, ''Turkey's sensitivity and seriousness about this question is known by everybody. I told about our sensitivities to Barzani and Talabani. I told them this question would become a trouble in the future.''
Gul said, ''Talabani and Barzani know that Turkey's friendship is very important. The aim of their visit to Ankara was to consult with us. They are important actors in the region. Thus, the meetings are important and fruitful.''
''They know that the future won't be easy. There is uncertainty. They came to receive the support of Turkey and listen to our recommendations and also to brief us,'' added Gul.
Stressing that a critical process has started in Iraq and few months left before elections, Gul said that it is very important not to postpone the elections.
Gul said, ''it is pleasing that Turkmens are represented in a better way in Iraqi Consultative Council. Turkmen groups like Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF), Shiite Turkmens and Islamic Turkmens convened for the first time. Also, I invited and met Turkmen groups except ITF for the first time.''
(GC-ULG) 09.09.2004