Gul: Iraq Should Implement U.N. Security Council Resolutions

TEHRAN - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Sunday that Iraq should implement U.N. Security Council resolutions in a way which would not cause any doubts.
Holding a press conference after his meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, Gul said that Turkey has launched an active peace action with a thought how Iraq crisis would be prevented without a war by taking into consideration dangerous developments in the region and added that he visited Syria, Jordan and Egypt last week as the first leg of his tour for finding a peaceful solution to Iraqi crisis.
Gul recalled that he discussed deeply this issue with heads of state and government of those countries and said that he also held similar meetings in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Stating that he held meetings with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref and Foreign Minister Kharrazi, Gul said that they focused on bilateral relations between Turkey and Iran at the meetings. He added that they reviewed cooperation possibilities in commercial, industrial and other fields and good intentions regarding economic cooperation meetings which would be held in the coming days.
Noting that Turkey-Iran relations were further improved, Gul said that mutual satisfactory developments in security field were in question.
Gul said, ''similar developments are also in question in political field. We believe that there are many things which can be done in economic field. Like bilateral relations between Turkey and Iran, there are relations under Economic Cooperation Organization with respect to regional aspects between the two countries. We found an opportunity to discuss all those issues.''
Stating that the second issue and real aim of the visit was related with Iraq crisis which started to become a more dangerous issue in the region, Gul said that very sincere and broad meetings were held on that point and views were exchanged.
''Our concern is that it is clear that Iraqi people will again pay costs of a possible operation in the region. We reached agreement that we should do what is necessary and try last chances on that issue. All of us have responsibility to prevent this possible war. We should exert efforts and utmost efforts should be exerted by Iraq related to a possible war against that country,'' Gul noted.
Noting that they reached agreement about the issue that Iraq should implement U.N. Security Council resolutions in a way which which would not cause any doubts, Gul said that they also reached agreement that there were several concrete steps which could be taken to prevent such a military clash in the region.
Stating that they considered appropriate to hold consultations again with the countries which he visited and assume a joint attitude on that issue, Gul said, ''we will complete our consultations and make a statement on that issue to the public as soon as possible.''
Gul said that the aim of the visit to the Middle East countries was to sort out the Iraqi proble without a military clash.
''I believe that this chance still exists as a result of the impression I got from my contacts,'' said Gul.
Responding to questions of journalists asking the details of his messages which State Minister Kursat Tuzmen conveyed to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Gul said that the details of the issue would be announced on Monday.
Gul said that ''we try to do the things we have to do, because we are a country of the region. Turkey, Iran and Arabs are the main elements of this region. Therefore we must do the things to prevent such a military clash.''
When asked his views about the claims saying that Turkey was tried to be influenced internally and externally about its Iraqi policy, Prime Minister Gul said ''as you know Turkey is an open society. Press is free in Turkey, in such an open society, people launch efforts to impose their own views from time to time. This is normal. What I wanted to do was to warn certain persons to be more careful.''
When reminded about the words of Foreign Minister Yasar Yakýs about Mosul and Kirkuk, Gul said that there is a misunderstanding. Gul noted that he wanted to correct this misunderstanding, adding that ''statements about Mosul and Kirkuk were reflected in a wrong way to the press. The views of Turkey on the issue are very clear. Turkey attributes great importance to the territorial and political integrity of Iraq. The resources of the region which are oil, natural gas and others are rich:these resources belong first of all to the citizens of that country. Our mission is to ensure the stability, peace and friendship among neighbour countries in the region. When you ensure that, economic, commerical relations and mutual investments will improve and all regional peoples will naturally benefit from the resources of the region.''
''We launch efforts to end this crisis without war. We launch efforts to this end and I think this has to be appreciated. Secondly the territorial and political integrity of Iraq is to the benefit of all of us. This is to the benefit of regional countries and the Iraqi people. Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, everybody are the main elements of Iraq. Therefore their living together in peace and prosperity should be our main priority.''
''Do you favour division of Iraq?'' asked journalists to Gul who said that the priority of Turkey is the non-division of Iraq and maintainance of its territorial integrity. ''I believe that the policy of other countries in the region should be the same, and it is. All the countries which I visited insisted on it. This is to our interest, to the interest of the regional people and particularly to the Iraqi people,'' he said.
Prime Minister Gul said that the message he gave the most during his visit to five countries was peace. When asked if he was still hopeful for peace, Gul said that ''the aim of my tour was peace, the solution of the crisis without war and military clash. I believe that this chance still exists as a result of the impresion I got from my contacts, because nobody wants war. U.S. President Bush also says 'first peace.' Powell and U.N. Secretary General Annan underlines the same issue. Therefore the number one priority of everybody is the end of this crisis without war. Even if it is a small possibility, yet I think it is a bit more than that, it is important to try that. I saw that the presidents and prime ministers whom I visited had the same intention. There are different views. It is early to announce them now. But I believe that these views will get mature soon and steps will be taken, this is our responsibility. No body wants war, and no body should call for war.''
''You all talk about prevention of war in your messages, but we witness that Turkey prepares itself to war with the aim of supporting the U.S. In your contacts with Iranian officials today, you asked them not to oppose such a war. Does not it contradict with the things you say?'' asked a journalist to Gul. Gul said ''the aim of our visits is to speak about peace, not war. The thing that is important is to avoid a war and to prevent this crisis without military intervention. These are things we discuss. Certainly every country, every government will prepare itself against all kinds of scenarios. This is the mission of every country, but our aim, our mission is to sort out this escalating crisis without a war. We launch efforts to this end and I saw this sincerity in the countries I visited.''