Gul: Talabani Is An Experienced Politician

DUBAI - Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that Jalal Talabani, who was elected as Iraqi President, ''was an experienced politician and one of the persons in Iraq who admits the importance of Turkey''. Gul who is actually in United Arab Emirates was asked about election of Talabani as Iraqi President. He said ''this election proved that political process prevails in Iraq''.
Gul welcomed the election of Adel Abdul Mahdi and Ghazi Yawar as vice presidents.
Gul said, ''Talabani is an experienced politician and gives high importance to Iraq's integrity. I congratulate him. Turkey will continue to expend necessary aid and support (to Iraq).''
Expressing belief that Turkish-Iraqi relations would improve further soon, Gul said, ''bilateral relations are based on mutual interests.''
Gul said he believed that the coming period would be a period of stability, and noted that Iraq's integrity would be preserved within this framework.
(AY-ULG)