Erdogan: Serious Developments Are Approaching In Iraq Issue

ANKARA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that serious developments were approaching in Iraq issue and initiatives against war were pleasing efforts.
Speaking in AK Party group meeting in Parliament, Erdogan said that states, like people, had difficult decisions and risks to take in their lives. He added that long term, uncounted and unestimated decisions could bring heavy prices.
Erdogan said that the important thing in vital situations was taking decisions by acting with common sense and determining the ethical and indispensable things. He added that Turkey was on the eve of giving such a decision due to conditions which happened out of its will and it would give and put into practice the truest decision. He said that Turkey had the richness of history, geographical position, cultural wealth and political experience to take the most appropriate decision.
''Turkey is one of the central countries orienting the history. Turkey is well-experienced in taking significant decisions. As you know, the Iraq issue has came to an extremely critical point. However, the last word has not been said yet. Unfortunately, worse scenarios have come to the forefront. We have launched initiatives to find a peaceful solution. We will continue to do so in coming days. Everyone in Turkey, especially the government, has been expending great efforts to prevent a possible war in Iraq,'' he stressed.
Recalling that the government had launched an initiative in the regional countries, Erdogan said that initiatives had also been launched in international organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union (EU) and NATO.
Noting that leader of the opposition party and non-governmental organizations had also expended efforts to prevent a possible war, Erdogan said, ''our efforts aim at preventing a war, which will ruin the balances in the region. These anti-militarist requests should find an interlocutor. Otherwise, those who take a decision to wage a war today, will be responsible for tomorrow's pains.''
''Plans in the geography in which Turkey takes place, should not be made on the basis of balance of capability and political power. Legitimacy is as important as power. Our region is about to become scene of serious developments. We have to think about our future. Turkey will make all possible contributions to settle peace in the region,'' he added.
ERDOGAN: TURKEY SHOULD ACTIVELY TAKE PART IN DECISION TAKING MECHANISM IF EXISTING STRUCTURE IN IRAQ CHANGES
''Everybody should know that our ethical priority is the peace of the whole humanity, yet our political priority is Turkey,'' Erdogan said.
Erdogan said that ''if an operation takes place in Iraq, the formations there after the operation will certainly affect Turkey.''
Noting that the priority of Turkey was to closely concern with the formation of Iraq, and particularly of Northern Iraq following an operation, Erdogan said that if the existing structure in Iraq changed, Turkey had to take part in the decision taking mechanism of that process effectively.
''We pursue a realistic policy regarding the future and security of Turkey,'' he said, adding that ''if Turkey stays outside in the beginning of an operation, it is not possible to have a say in the developments that will later take place. The long term interests and even the security of Turkey can be in danger. Everybody knows that we have to give difficult decisions to protect the interests of the country.''
Erdogan said that despite everything the government didn't want to lose its hope for peace and that Turkey waited for the decision to be given by the U.N. Security Council. Erdogan said he hoped the U.S. administration not to start an operation which could fall outside the scope of the decision of the U.N. Security Council.
Stressing that Iraq, which had to take steps for peace, didn't take those steps, Erdogan said that ''the innocent people will pay the price of the mistakes of a leader... The Iraqi administration should understand this grave situation as soon as possible, and do the things that should be done... I believe that states still have things to do for peace. I call everybody to launch efforts for peace. Nobody should forget that if a war, which we don't want, breaks out, we are not the responsible of that. The decisions which we will take regarding a possible war, will be taken not because we favor war, but we want to contribute to installation of peace as soon as possible when there is no possibility of preventing a war and to keep the possible damage of the war at the lowest level.''
Erdogan said that Prime Minister Abdullah Gul would inform deputies in details on Feb. 6.