Gul: Our Relations With The United States Cannot Be Reduced To Issue Of Iraq

NEW YORK - Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said late on Friday, ``Turkey and the United States have been cooperating with each other on many significant issues. Therefore, Turkey-the United States relations cannot be reduced to the issue of Iraq.``
Holding a news conference, Gul, who is currently in New York to attend the 59th session of the United Nations, said, ``as you know, I met U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. It was a very constructive meeting. We agreed to call each other whenever it its necessary to resolve the issues immediately. Turkey and the United States have been allies for a long time.``
``Turkey and the United States have been cooperating with each other on many significant issues. First of all, the two countries have been defending the same values of democracy, human rights and free market economy. Therefore, Turkey-the United States relations cannot be reduced to the issue of Iraq. The cooperation between Turkey and the United States has spread to a vast area from Afghanistan to the Balkans, from energy to fight against terrorism. It cannot be considered only a military cooperation,`` he said.
Gul said that the Cyprus issue, the terrorist organization of PKK and Turkey`s uneasiness about developments in Kirkuk city of Iraq were high on agenda of his meeting with Powell.
Referring to his meetings with other officials, Gul recalled that he had held talks with foreign ministers of Nigeria, Singapore, Russia and Azerbaijan and with deputy prime minister of Bahrain.
``During the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, we discussed the postponed state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkey due to the school siege in Beslan. Russian officials will set a new date and inform us on the developments,`` he said.
Gul noted that he was scheduled to meet his Armenian and Chinese counterparts on Monday.
(UK) 25.09.2004