ISTANBUL - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson has said that Ankara and Washington had their own individual perspectives regarding Iraq and added that the national interests should take priority over other things even if there are some disagreements between Turkey and the United States about Iraq.
Speaking at the 48th General Council of the Atlantic Treaties Association in Istanbul on Thursday Pearson focused on Turkey's role in NATO and in its region.
''The United States should work together with all other countries to fight terrorism. Turkey is our best ally in this fight. Turkey's decisions are extremely important because of its geographical location, its secular democracy, Muslim population, economic potential and the power of its armed forces,'' Pearson said.
Stating that Turkey supported the international coalition against terrorism, Pearson said ''Turkey fought against terrorism on its own soil against KADEK for 17 years. Turks expressed feelings of solidarity after Sept.11. The terrorist attacks in the United States did not surprise Turkey which faced such terrorist attacks in its past.''
''Turkey implemented a series of ambitious reforms,'' the U.S. ambassador continued. ''Turkey's economic reform program was really a success. These activities should be completed and more efforts are needed to achieve this. Only then Turkey will overcome financial instabiltiy and find itself in a faster growing economy and offer more prosperity to its people.''
Pointing to the 33 constitutional changes the Turkish government passed last year, Pearson said the Turkish Parliament also made significant reforms about education and broadcast in the mother tongue last August and abolished death penalty. Pearson said that all these should facilitate Turkey's joining the EU.
Regarding the Iraqi issue, Pearson said that although the press was pointing to the differences of opinion between Turkey and his country, actually the two countries shared very close views on the Iraqi matter.
''Baghdad is supporting terrorism, it continues to develop chemical, nuclear weapons. Both countries are against an independent Kurdish state. Ankara and Washington have their own individual perspectives but national interests should take priority over other things even if there are disagreements.''
Speaking about the Cyprus issue, Pearson said going back to the time before 1974 on the island was never an alternative. He said that his government believed that Cyprus' joining the EU could be a solution, otherwise a crisis was inevitable. The U.S. ambassador said that creativity was esstential during the direct talks between Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides. ''The targets are extremely ambitious,'' he said. ''These issues should be resolved because the existence of these issues limit the potential of both sides. The United States supports Turkey's membership. We want Turkey and Europe to get closer. Turkey today needs the support of all its friends. The EU, European institutions and NATO should work together for Turkey's success.''