BAGHDAD - State Minister Kursat Tuzmen said on Saturday that ''Turkey has to support peaceful solution of the Iraqi problem as much as it can.''
Tuzmen, whose meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Al-Azzawi was postponed due to an emergency cabinet meeting, responded to questions of journalists.
Tuzmen said that the participation of almost ten Iraqi ministers particularly of Deputy Prime Minister Al-Azzawi in the dinner hosted by Iraqi Trade Minister Muhammad Mahdi al-Salih in the honour of the Turkish delegation last evening, was the open expression of Turkey's credit in Iraq.
Tuzmen said that he had contacts at the Iraqi Energy Ministry and Electricity Administration this morning and stressed that there were very important tenders for Turkey in the field of energy.
Tuzmen said that there are many Turkish small and medium size firms in Iraq, adding that this is also important for Turkey's carrying out commercial activities abroad.
When asked if the emergency cabinet meeting of Iraq was related to a possible operation against Iraq, Tuzmen said ''I don't think so,'' adding changes in schedules take place in such visits.
Recalling that AK Party leader Erdogan, Prime Minister Gul and concerned ministers said that Turkey does not want war, Tuzmen said that the gulf crisis negatively affected Turkey and that the national income per capita decreased from 3,000 U.S. dollars to 2,000 U.S. dollars. Turkey lost nearly 80 billion dollars in ten years due to gulf crisis and Turkey spent 100 billion dollars to fight with terrorism which was approximately equal to its one-year gross national domestic product.
''Therefore we don't want to experience such a thing again. Such a problem in the region can cause costs for all the countries. Turkey should support a peaceful solution as much as it can,'' he said.
Tuzmen said that he brought a written message from Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, adding that Turkey tries to do the things it can. Tuzmen said that Turkey has to benefit from the potential of neighbouring countries.
Tuzmen later met with Iraqi Transportation Minister Ahmet Murtaza Ahmet.