Wolfowitz Departs From Turkey

ISTANBUL (A.A) - 15.07.2002 - U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz left Turkey for Afghan capital Kabul early on Monday.
After speaking at a conference organized by Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) on ''Relations between Turkey and the United States'', Wolfowitz met with State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy and Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) leader Mehmet Ali Bayar at the mansion of Mustafa Koc, a leading businessman.

WOLFOWITZ: IT IS CLEAR THAT TURKEY HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES.
Speaking at a conference organized by Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) on ''Relations between Turkey and the United States'', Wolfowitz said that he had paid his first visit to Turkey 26 years ago.
Noting that Istanbul stood at an extremely important junction between Europe and Asia, Wolfowitz said that a great creativeness stemmed from such a position.
Recalling that he had paid a visit to Gelibolu Peninsula a while ago, Wolfowitz quoted Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as saying, ''mothers, do not shed tears any more. Your sons, are resting in peace in our territories.''
Wolfowitz said that Ataturk gave a very efficient lesson to everybody and stressed that demolished things should be re-built and everybody should always progress.
Ataturk also had a similar success in relations with Greece, Wolfowitz noted. For instance, he said he approved Salonica, which was his birthplace, to remain within the territories of Greece because this city was a Greek city.
Wolfowitz stated that Turkey was one of the pioneering countries in the fight against terrorism, and that Turkey and the United States worked together in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.
The result that they could derive from all these was how important Turkish-U.S. partnership was, Wolfowitz pointed out.
Touching on developments in Turkey, Wolfowitz said that it was obvious that there were political and economic problems in Turkey. But, he noted, the difficulty behind this was more important.
Wolfowitz stated that maintenance of modernization process was more important. Noting that Ataturk launched this initiative, he said that modernization was an important opportunity despite all difficulties.
Turkey and the United States faced many difficulties during their histories, he said, and stressed that both countries faced terrorism threat.
Noting that the United States was really very lucky, Wolfowitz said that NATO and the west were very lucky because they had an ally at a very important intersection point which was very reliable and which had self-confidence.
Wolfowitz stated that after international terrorism had hit the United States, Turkey proposed support to the United States as it always did.
Noting that the terrorists should no more see Afghanistan as a place which opened its arms to them, Wolfowitz said that Turkey and the United States made very perfect initiatives there.
Wolfowitz noted that this country should no more be a shelter for terrorists and they should not be considered as occupiers there.
They were trying to bring peace and freedom to Afghanistan, Wolfowitz stressed.
Wolfowitz pointed out that Turkey could be a very important model for Afghanistan because this country was progressing to self-administration as Turkey.
WOLFOWITZ: TURKEY WOULD NOT LIKE FOUNDATION OF A SEPARATE KURDISH STATE IN NORTHERN IRAQ. IT IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE UNITED STATES''
Wolfowitz said, ''Turkey would not like foundation of a separate Kurdish state in Northern Iraq. It is also unacceptable for the United States.''
Wolfowitz stressed that if Turkey succeeded in settling stability again, its economic development would continue.
Noting that Turkey had recorded very important progress in its European Union (EU) full membership process, Wolfowitz said that Turkey's full integration with European institutions would be beneficial for Turkey, Europe and the United States.
''An EU including Turkey will be more powerful, safe and rich,'' he said.
Describing Turkey as a patient, proudful and courageous country, Wolfowitz expressed their belief that an agreement would be reached at the end of the talks in Cyprus.
He said that such a solution would also be beneficial for Turkey and Greece.
Wolfowitz noted that Turkey could be a source of inspiration for Iraq.
Wolfowitz said that Iraq was experiencing a very difficult period under the rule of a tyrant.
Noting that Iraq has a well-educated and hard-working population, Wolfowitz said that a society which had made very important investments on natural resources could get rich very quickly.
Wolfowitz stated that such a thing would be beneficial not only for Iraq but also for its neighbours.
To this end, he said, the United States was in search for a new administration in Iraq.
Stating that if ethnic and religious leaders were brought together, territorial integrity of Iraq would be protected and a democratic Iraq would be ensured, Wolfowitz said that he was looking forward to hearing what Turkish officials were thinking about the future of Iraq.
Wolfowitz noted that Turkey's views were very important for them and that his colleagues in Washington D.C. was closely interested in the information he would get from Turkey.
Turkey suffered from many damages due to international isolation of Iraq, he stated.
Wolfowitz said that Turcomans in Northern Iraq were suffering from ''cruel administration.''
The current Iraqi administration was a big threat for the United States, he said and noted that they could not live with that threat till eternity.
Wolfowitz said that a separate Kurdish state in Northern Iraq would not please Turkey and that this was also unacceptable for the United States.
Stating that Kurds in Northern Iraq could understand this reality better, he noted that those people believed that considering themselves as Iraqi would be for their benefit.
Touching on Israeli-Palestinian dispute, Wolfowitz said that conflicts in the region could not be solved by tanks and bombs.
Pointing out that the dispute could be settled through political ways, Wolfowitz said that a solution map was present for a long time.
Wolfowitz noted that existence of Israel as a Jewish state should be accepted and at the same time Israeli occupation of Palestine should be ended.
Long term solution and peace between Israel and Palestine should be ensured, Wolfowitz added.
WOLFOWITZ: INTERNATIONAL FORCE IN KABUL HAS BEEN PLAYING A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE
Wolfowitz said, ''the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan has been playing a very important role. The United States is not an army of occupation. It is an army of independence. We want to assist Afghan people.''
Responding a question about extention of ISAF's mandate, Wolfowitz said that he did not come to Turkey to talk about this.
Wolfowitz said that he would return to Turkey after holding contacts in Afghanistan, and hold talks with Turkish officials in Ankara about his contacts in Kabul.
Wolfowitz said that the international force in Kabul was playing a very important role and stressed that this role was not sufficiently noticed.
Noting that the United States was an army of freedom not an army of occupation, Wolfowitz said that they wanted to help Afghan people and aimed to help Afghan people to re-gain their security by themselves.
Wolfowitz stated that ISAF was formed in order to prevent the re-occupation of Kabul by minority and ethnic groups and that this force exerted perfect efforts in the region.
They were grateful to Turkey, which undertook the command of ISAF, Wolfowitz stressed.
Reminding that they promised Turkey to support it militarily and economically, Wolfowitz said that they promised a military support of 28 million and an economic support of 200 million U.S. dollars.
Wolfowitz noted that this demand was brought to the U.S. Congress at the moment.
Upon a question, Wolfowitz said that the United States was using Incirlik Base for ten years and that it had a perfect cooperation with Turkey in this sense.
Wolfowitz stated that stability in Northern Iraq was ensured this way and said that this was their permanent demand.
Meanwhile, TESEV Director and retired ambassador Ozdem Sanberk said that the United States and Turkey had a cooperation more than 50 years and that this partnership was more stronger today.
Pointing out that both of the countries had painful experiences about terrorism, Sanberk said that Turkey was undergoing a very difficult period currently. However, he stressed, this period was a renewal period.