ANKARA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that no AK Party deputy can accept the starting of a war, adding that AK Party favours solution of the problem peacefully.
Erdogan said that Turkey can't make its decision clear without the resolution of the U.N. Security Council.
Erdogan visited Parliament Speaker Bulent Arýnc the same day and responded to questions of journalists in the meeting.
When a journalist told Erdogan that ''the public opinion is against a war, and some AK Party deputies are against war and they carry out studies to prevent such a war, but there are also certain bargainings going on,'' Erdogan said that ''nobody can accept a war. Therefore, it is wrong to put forward a dilemma saying that some of AK party deputies accept a war while others don't accept it. Generally speaking, none of the AK Party deputies support war. What we say from the beginning is solving the problems through peaceful ways and we launch efforts to this end. The U.N. resolutions are binding for us, the government can't make its decision clear without the resolution of the U.N. Security Council.''
Erdogan said that the report of the U.N. inspectors about mass destruction weapons carries importance for them, adding that he is worried about the exaggerated news published in the press about the possibility of a war breaking out in Iraq.
Upon a question, Erdogan said that the parliament has to give the final decision about Turkey's joining the operation against Iraq.
Parliament Speaker Arinc said that he was nominated for parliament speaker's office by AK Party deputies and added that election was held successfully. He recalled that he was elected as parliament speaker with 369 votes.
Arinc said, ''after this successful result, we have responsibilities to make services which Turkish people deserve. We have duties to increase esteem of the parliament in an impartial administration and fulfil fruitfully legislative and supervisory activities.''
Stating that Erdogan and his friends held significant contacts by travelling many countries for Copenhagen Summit related to Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process, Arinc said, ''decisions which were taken at the summit was a significant success in Turkey's 40-year adventure. Maybe, Turkey could not exactly reach its aim but, the point which Turkey reached in that process was successful.''
Noting that Erdogan held contacts not only with EU countries, Arinc said, ''Erdogan will visit countries in coming days and hold contacts which will open horizon of Turkey. I think that those are very significant steps related to Turkey's new political life.''
AK Party Secretary General Idris Naim Sahin, deputy leader Reha Denemec and AK Party acting group chairmen Eyup Fatsa and Faruk Celik accompanied Erdogan in his visit.