ANKARA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that they had not made any commitment about the Iraqi issue in their meetings with U.S. President George Bush during their visit to the United States.
Erdogan attended a programme on private television channel Kanal D late on Thursday.
When asked whether or not they had made any commitment in their meeting with U.S. President Bush during their visit to the United States that Turkey would stand by the United States about the Iraqi issue, Erdogan said, ''we did not make any commitment. We only evaluated the developments.''
Noting that they had taken up not only the Iraqi issue but also economic relations between Turkey and the United States and the European Union (EU) and Cyprus issues, Erdogan said they had expressed in those meetings that they were in favor of peace, adding that he was not a person that had the authority to make commitments and he had held contacts as the leader of AK Party.
Regarding a possible operation against Iraq, Erdogan said they were in favor of solving the issue through peaceful ways and that report of the U.N. weapon inspectors should be waited.
Erdogan said that they thought it positive as Iraqi Head of State Saddam Hussein permitted inspectors' investigation, adding, ''very different developments may happen after summit meetings. I don't think that hope for peace totally ended.''
When asked whether or not Cyprus issue would be solved until February 28, Erdogan said that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas had the signature authority.
Stressing that it was impossible for them to accept policy of 'give and get rid of it', Erdogan said that there should not be preliminary acceptances for solution of the Cyprus issue.
Recalling that they had been talking about a ''partnership state based on two founder states'' since the beginning, Erdogan added that the government extended upmost support to the TRNC government.
ERDOGAN: I SUPPOSE NATURAL GAS PRICE WOULD BE REDUCED
When asked why natural gas was expensive, Erdogan gave information about his visit to relevant countries. ''I suppose there would be reduction in prices,'' he said.
Noting that they would discuss price reduction also with Iran, Erdogan said, ''after Russia decreases the price, I believe that Iran would also reduce the price.''
When asked what kind of measures would be taken about domestic debt, Erdogan said that they were trying to decrease real interest rates.