Gul Says It Is Wrong To Dictate Something To Turkey About Adultery Issue

RIGA - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that it was wrong to try to dictate something to Turkey, regarding the adultery issue.
Gul replied questions of reporters aboard the plane on his way to Latvia on Friday.
When recalled the statements of Guenter Verheugen, the European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement, who said ''adultery question will harm Turkey's image'' Gul said, ''this issue was not discussed during our bilateral meeting.''
Noting, ''Turkish government has adopted lots of reform bills until now,'' Gul said, ''according to Europeans' own description, a civil revolution was made in Turkey. Thus, nobody has the right to cast shadow on this revolution.''
Gul said, ''Turkey's views are known about the (adultery) issue. It will be discussed at Turkish Parliament and there is no consensus on the issue yet. Each society has its own values within universal values and they exert efforts to reach a consensus. This is valid for every EU country.''
Gul said, ''the important thing is not to shadow in-depth reforms realized. Discussions on the issue should be free.''
''I do not say this issue should not be discussed. Everybody shall express his opinion openly. Discussing this issue before it was submitted to Parliament shows that democracy functions well (in Turkey). However, to try to dictate something to Turkey is wrong,'' added Gul.
Gul also said, ''nobody has the right to take this discussion to the stage of threat.''

-STATEMENTS OF BARZANI-
When recalled the statements of Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani about Kirkuk, Gul said, ''the identity of Kirkuk is obvious and Turkey's sensitivity (on this matter) is well known.'' ''I have told many times that provocative discussions are very dangerous for Iraq's future and the stability of the region,'' he added.
When asked about the threats against Turkey and Jordan by a terrorist group active in Iraq, which asks that the two countries close their respective embassies in Baghdad, Gul said, ''none of the militants or terrorist organizations are our interlocutor. We do what we consider right.''
(GC-ULG) 10.09.2004