Gul: Absolutely Nato Should Do Fulfil Its Assignments

ANKARA - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday that NATO should fulfil its assignments, stating that, ''Turkish Armed Forces is already very strong. There is not a need for this. Our own force is one of the biggest forces of the world.''
Gul talked to journalists and responded to the questions of reporters.
Upon a question regarding developments in NATO related to Turkey's application, Gul said, ''Turkey protected whole Europe during cold war period. It acted as a shield to Europe, so NATO should fulfil its assignments. Turkish Armed Forces is already very strong. There is not a need for all those. Our own force is one of the most important forces of the world. However obviously there are responsibilities because of our rights which stem from the agreements.''
Responding to another question Gul said the news reports, which appeared in one of the newspapers today, that he invited Iraqi Head of State Saddam Hussein to Turkey, was not correct. Gul said he did not invite Saddam to Turkey though the mediation of Taha Yasin Ramadan.
When asked, ''there are comments that NATO collapsed, do you share them,'' Gul said he did not think so.
When a journalist said, ''attitude of NATO is as if directly reaction to the United States. The package proposed by the United States is rejected. It seems as if Turkey is not the target. Some countries want to try ways of diplomacy,'' Gul said, ''you are right. The target is not actually Turkey here, however a diplomacy struggle continues.''