ANKARA (A.A) - 05.04.2002 - Prime Minister Hamid Karzai of interim government in Afghanistan departed from Ankara on Friday after wrapping up his contacts.
Addressing journalists prior to his departure, Karzai said that he had held very productive contacts with Turkish officials within framework of his visit to Turkey.
He said that relations between Turkey and Afghanistan were taken up in detail during his contacts.
Noting that he had received a sincere hospitality in Ankara, Karzai recalled that he had held contacts with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu.
He said that his contacts had focused on issues such as fight against terrorism, fight against illicit drug trafficking and Turkey's contribution to re-building of Afghanistan.
Karzai said that he would be pleased with coming Turkey again soon to visit cities such as Istanbul and Konya.
When told by a journalist that Turkey had some expectations and reservations about taking over command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) deployed in Afghanistan, Karzai told reporters that all these problems could be overcome together.
Stressing that Turkey had technical reservations, Karzai said that the ISAF was the guarantee of continuation of international community's support to Afghanistan.
Recalling that Ankara had decided in principle to take over command of the ISAF, Karzai said that both ISAF countries and Afghan administration had been fully supporting Turkey's decision.
Responding another question, Karzai said, ''since we represent Afghan people, we have to reflect request of our people. It is up to international community to extend mission area of the ISAF to whole country. If international community decides to extend the mission area to whole Afghanistan, Afghan people will accept it.''
Karzai said that Turkey's de facto taking over command of the ISAF would take time, and added that it was up to Turkey to determine the mandate of its command.
Noting that cooperation between Turkey and Afghanistan backed to 1020s, Karzai said that Turkish officers trained Afghan army.
''Turkey is a country having good opportunities for re-building of Afghanistan. During my contacts in Ankara, we discussed cooperation in agriculture, THY's starting flights to Kabul, and training of Afghan airway personnel by THY. Turkey has still sending humanitarian aid and training Afghan diplomats. Turkey could contribute to Afghanistan in every field,'' he added.