ANKARA - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday, ''insolubility in Cyprus is not a solution for us. However, we do not accept any solution that will lead us to lose Cyprus at the negotiation table.''
Speaking at a group meeting of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Prime Minister Gul said, ''there have been important developments in Cyprus. We cannot remain insensitive towards the Cyprus issue. We are determined to do our utmost to make Cyprus an island of peace. We have never seen insolubility as a solution. As the government, we put forward our views. Insolubility in Cyprus is not a solution for us. However, we do not accept any solution that will lead us to lose Cyprus at the negotiation table.''
''There is a connection between the European Union (EU) and Cyprus. The attitude to be assumed at Copenhagen summit regarding Turkey will be related to Cyprus,'' he said.
Gul said, ''if they act with prejudice towards Turkey and treat the Greek Cypriot administration as a country representing whole Cyprus, Turkey will never accept this. The EU can either support solution of Cyprus issue at Copenhagen or make solution of the issue more difficult. To this end, they have a big responsibility. I am clearly saying this to them. They have to act carefully. Making a solution easily is the duty of everybody but it is even more easy to make a solution difficult. This time, it will be even more difficult to overcome new problems.''
One of the other issues Turkey was facing was possible developments in Iraq, Gul noted.
Gul said that those issues closely concerned Turkey and that they were closely following the developments.
''Firstly, we believe that anything necessary to prevent a war should be made,'' Gul said.
Gul stressed that war was not a preferable way in any place of the world and said that war caused many losses so what was necessary to prevent a war should be made.
Existence of mass destruction weapons in a neighboring country caused uneasiness when circles were exerting efforts to prevent a possible war, Gul said.
Gul noted that they hoped weapons inspection would be completed easily and tranquilly and possibility of a war would be removed within the scope of recent U.N. resolutions.
Noting that during their visits they had paid last week, they expressed that Turkey was a democratic country so decisions to be taken could not be totally opposite to opinions of people and that as an independent institution, the parliament should take decisions on many issues, Gul said that especially deputies and public would be informed on developments.
Gul said that they wanted the region be a region of peace zone and added that the political leaders who governed the region had important responsibilities.
Noting that both parliament and the government had the determination to rapidly fulfil what was necessary things, Gul said, ''I believe that many things in Turkey would change in a short time. The current confidence will be consolidated. The steps to be taken and their results will satisfy our people. We will reach better days in cooperation.''