BERLIN - New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail cem has said that both the government and the opposition parties didn't want a war against Iraq.
Speaking to the German newspapers Die Welt and Berliner Morgenpost on Friday, Cem said ''We don't want a war on our borders. This would hurt our economy greatly.''
Cem stated that the U.S. government authorities knew this attitude of Turkey, adding that the Gulf War had a high cost for Turkey. He said that the Turkish people also didn't support the regime in Iraq, but didn't want a tension on Turkey-Iraq border similar to the one between Israelis and Palestinians either.
When asked if Turkey had a strategic interest in Northern Iraq, Cem said that a small minority in Turkey say that Musul and Kerkuk should belong to Turkey because these cities were taken from Turkey in 1920s. ''But the Turkish state respects the territorial integrity of all its neighbors including Iraq,'' the YTP leader stressed.
Stressing that the EU membership was one of Turkey's important targets, Cem said, ''Germany has been a member of the EU in order to provide better life standards to its people and to preserve peace and stability in Europe. We also want these.''
Pointing out that Turkey's political relations with the EU were very positive; however, that some problems were experienced in economic area, Cem said, ''we have issued adjustment bill not for the EU, but for Turkey. Some of the decisions had been discussed for years. Now that I hope that an open decision will be taken in Copenhagen summit to start full membership talks with Turkey.''
Cem said in case decision in this direction is not taken, this would negatively effect Turkish-EU relations. Cem said, ''I don't expect a negative response. The EU has acted reasonable so far. The reforms we have made are clear. Now that the ball is at the court of the EU.''
Asked if Turkey would face difficulties about its EU membership as it was a Muslim country, Cem said, ''there is not such difficulty in the level of governments. However, some parts of the society have such prejudices. But, it is not important. There are people who are against the EU in all EU member countries. In my opinion, discussions that EU is a Christian society are left behind.''
Cem claimed that the influence of Turkish Armed Forces on politics was exaggerated in Europe and said, ''I attended National Security Council (NSC) meeting. The duty of the council was to make consultancy for the government. As a social democrat, I saw myself more conservative than the generals most of the time.''
Asked why he did not want unification of leftist parties, Cem said, ''it cannot be possible in the light of realities in Turkey. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit is also against this view. Problems in Turkey cannot be undertaken by only leftist parties. We need a big social coalition.''
Cem noted that his party would pass 10 percent electoral threshold in case a social compromise was ensured.
''Expressions like left, right or center do not reflect political system in Turkey. The border is between the 'old' and 'modern.' My party thinks that the voters will award our supra-party modern policy,'' he added.