ANKARA, March 7 (A.A) - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who also acts as the leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), said on Thursday that, ''we want peace in our region, not war.''
Addressing the opening of his party group meeting, Ecevit said the war between Israel and Palestine, which rapidly escalates, should be ended before opening an unnecessary war against Iraq.
Pointing out that the most important duty belonged to the United States in this respect, Ecevit said, ''we want peace in our region, not war. We want development, not armament.''
Ecevit said the government took healthy and determined steps on the way to development despite the ''grave inheritance that has been taken over'' and the natural disasters.
Ecevit said the workers and the civil servants were protected against the inflation as far as possible.
Noting that new business facilities were provided to most of those who remained unemployed because of privatization, Ecevit said, ''if we can continue the rapid tempo of the government and the Parliament, provide necessary effectiveness to the state in economy, and if we don't meet foreign obstructions, our economy will be healthy within this year and prosperity level of our people will begin to increase. Signs of this have begun to be seen.''
Ecevit said, ''I rely on the potentials of our country, and the outstanding abilities of our people. I rely on our government.''