U.S. Senators In Ankara

ANKARA - U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee former chairman Joseph Biden and Senator Chuck Hagel came to Ankara on Monday.
Biden who will meet with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul informed reporters about his visits at Ankara's Esenboga Airport.
Asked whether his intensive contacts in the region signaled a possible operation against Iraq to be staged soon, Biden said that there was no decision on an operation that could not be prevented and added that the United States respected the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council resolutions.
When recalled Turkey's concerns about developments in Northern Iraq, Biden said that he told Kurdish leaders in Northern Iraq that ''a united Iraq'' should be founded after a possible operation.
Biden quoted Kurdish leaders as saying that they did not want an independent state and added that they clearly explained that they saw their future in ''united Iraq''.
U.S. senators had visited Northern Iraq and Qatar and assessed preparations for a possible operation against Iraq, after holding contacts in Incirlik base in southern Adana province last week.
BIDEN SAYS PROGRESS IN SOLUTION OF CYPRUS QUESTION IS IMPORTANT FACTOR IN CONTRIBUTION OF U.S. CONGRESS TO TURKISH ECONOMY
U.S. senator Joseph Biden said on Monday that progress in solution of Cyprus question was an important factor in contribution of U.S. Congress to Turkish economy.
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul met with U.S. senators Biden and Chuck Hagel.
Following the meeting, Biden told reporters that they noted during the meeting that Democrats, Republicans and U.S. administration were of the same opinion on Iraq's territorial integrity.
Biden said that they evaluated steps of Turkish government related with European Union (EU) process and that they told Gul that Turkey's EU membership would be beneficial for not only Turkey but also for the EU.
They said that the current government in Turkey could show the West that ''co-existence of an Islamic party and democracy was possible'', Biden noted.
Biden said that he thought that this was the most important message that could be given to all world and hoped that the Prime Minister could achieve this.
They were ready for cooperation with the Prime Minister, Biden stated.
Responding to a question, Biden said that they were aware that a possible military operation on Iraq could have negative effect on Turkish economy and defended that compensation of Turkey's losses was linked with solution of Cyprus question.
Biden noted that the U.S. Congress believed that a progress had to be marked in solution of Cyprus question.
They hoped that some progress would be recorded in not only Turkish economy but also solution of Cyprus question, Biden stated.
Biden pointed out that this was not a demand of the U.S. administration and they were not talking on behalf of the administration.
An attitude to be assumed by the Congress about economic support to Turkey was directly related with progress to be recorded in Cyprus question, Biden said.
Biden noted that they were hopeful that the new Turkish government was willing about solution of the question and that this would help support of the Congress.
Responding to another question, Biden said that they stressed Iraq's territorial integrity during their visit to Northern Iraq and said that the Kurdish leaders in Northern Iraq told them that they did not have a demand for an independent state.
Biden noted that Kurds recorded both democratic and economic progress in the no-fly zone in Northern Iraq and that there were many things they would lose when compared with the past.
They wanted to be represented in a possible government in Iraq, Biden said.
Biden added that use of bases in Turkey did not come onto their agenda during their meeting with Gul.