Gul: We Need More Cooperation With The United States In Iraq

CHICAGO - Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Monday, ''Turkey and the United States need more cooperation in Iraq.''
Speaking at a meeting at the National Strategy Forum, Foreign Minister Gul, who is currently in Chicago, the United States to attend the Turkish Festival, said, ''a stable Iraq will be beneficial to everyone. We are determined to maintain the strategic partnership between Turkey and the United States. As you know, Turkey aims to start entry negotiations with the European Union by the end of the year. We appreciate the United States' support to Turkey's EU process. We believe that Turkey's EU membership will further strengthen its transatlantic relations.''
Recalling that Turkey had provided the United States with logistic support in Iraq, Gul said, ''Turkey is the real strategic ally of the United States. Turkey and the United States mutually need more cooperation and consultation in Iraq.''
Describing the basic problem in Iraq as security, Gul said, ''among the other uncertainties, Turkey is concerned mostly about the possibility of a division. Such a division will have extremely negative impacts on the region.''
Meanwhile, Gul will proceed to New York later in the day to attend meetings of the United Nations. He is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with his Greek counterpart on Tuesday.
(UK-MS) 20.09.2004