ANTALYA - Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said on Wednesday that the view that ''war is indispensable'' began to be shaken with the developments experienced recently. He said ''the recent developments reveal that any summation, paving ways to issue a decision from the Parliament by saying that 'war is indispensable in any case. The United States will launch this operation. We should take our place' is not right.''
Responding to a question about Iraq, Baykal said people in the world, who earlier thought that war was indispensable, began to voice the view that war could be prevented and postponed upon the reactions coming from the countries and institutions increased.
Stating that this was a very pleasing development, Baykal said the decisions taken in NATO a while ago, were based on understanding of ''rejection of mentality of war''. Baykal said interlocutor of the decisions of NATO was mostly the United States who accepted that war in Iraq was indispensable.
Baykal said, ''there has been a conflict between some countries in NATO and the United States, not a conflict between some countries in NATO and Turkey. Turkey has been turned into a part of this conflict. The actual matter is not Turkey.''
Pointing out that the disagreement in NATO stemmed from the attitude of the United States who decided for a military operation against Iraq without getting a U.N. resolution and the consent of the allies in Europe, Baykal said, ''as some countries in NATO don't accept this, they are not positive toward military cooperation with Turkey as a part of a military operation. The incident is related to relations between the United States and Europe, rather than relations with Turkey. Of course, the lack of confidence, which we always experienced in relations with Europe stands at the back of our mentality as a fundamental factor. If this decision is taken in an atmosphere where there is the lack of confidence, the question that whether or not this is an attitude of the EU countries toward Turkey comes into mind. Unfortunately, the European countries failed to expend necessary support to Turkey in its most difficult days.''
Recalling that the U.N. weapons inspectors would prepare a very important report on February 14, Baykal stressed that there was a wide spread expectation that the report would say that war was not indispensable.
''Signs which has been revealed so far confirm this. That Iraq took new steps regarding cooperation with the weapons inspectors has been encouraging in this respect. An understanding that it is not appropriate to take the risk of a regional war where biological, chemical and even nuclear weapons can be used to disarm Iraq, but strengthening the implementations can be steps to exclude Iraq from being a threat, is becoming more widespread,'' Baykal said.
CHP leader stated that it was clear that new draft resolutions would be presented to the U.N. Security Council in this respect, and that, ''the world has understood that there was not any need to take place in a dangerous climbing that may lead to nuclear war.''
Stating that some countries in Europe would present this as a proposal to the U.N. Security Council, Baykal said, ''all those show that there were still things to be done, and that they should be done.''
Baykal said Turkey did not enter Northern Iraq as a part of the intervention launched by the United States to occupy Iraq, overthrow Saddam and to change regime in Iraq. He said Turkey should first of all understand this very well and convey it to the whole world.
Baykal said, ''entrance of the Turkish soldiers to Northern Iraq is in question aiming to take measures to prevent negative reflection of a war in Iraq which don't want and support. We will not send soldiers to Iraq as a part of the plan of the United States to occupy Iraq. It is question for us to send soldiers to Iraq to strengthen Turkey's defense and to control the problems that may occur out of our will. Turkey's sending soldiers to Northern Iraq is also indispensable if any other country intervenes in Iraq.''
''Thus, putting Turkish soldiers under the command of the U.S. commander who will occupy Iraq, will create the impression that as if Turkey has sent soldiers as a part of that occupation plan,'' Baykal said, stressing that, ''this is unacceptable. Turkish commander should command the Turkish soldier who will go to Iraq. Turkish soldiers should get the directives from Ankara, not from Washington.''
CHP leader Baykal said a decision should be issued from the U.S. Congress directly to compensate the loses Turkey would suffer because of the operation. He said Turkey should not be contended with verbal assurances or assurances given by unauthorized people.
Baykal said, ''there will be a new negotiation in the U.N. Security Council. Turkey should very carefully cover this. Turkey's taking a decision to dispatch the U.S. soldiers to Iraq would make Turkey enter a contradiction that can not be explained. We should be careful in this respect. Very important developments will be experienced after Feast of Sacrifice. The most critical issue is the report of UNMOVIC Chief Hans Blix, and consultation of this report in the U.N. Security Council. Turkey should determine what it should do following this consultation.''