Yakis: We Stand Firm Against U.S.

ANKARA - Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said on Thursday regarding the negotiations carried out between Turkey and the U.S. that ''we stand firm against the U.S.''
Noting that the negotiations continued in military, economic and political issues, Yakis said that ''the issue of money is only one of the thousand issues that are being discussed. Turkey does not bargain for money. We voice the loss Turkey will suffer in political, military and economic fields,'' Yakis stressed.
When reporters reminded Yakis the news telling that the submission of the prime ministry motion on deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey and sending soldiers abroad was postponed to Feb. 25 Tuesday, Yakis said that ''there was not a date which was earlier announced, so postponement is not in question.''
Yakis said that there was no bottleneck in negotiations with the U.S. and that the government told the U.S. that it was difficult to submit the motion to the parliament on Feb. 18.
''Does the U.S. put pressure during the negotiations?'' asked journalists to Yakis who said that both sides put pressure during the negotiations and this was a normal approach in all negotiations.
''We also try to stand firm against the U.S.,'' he said adding that ''it is legitimate for everybody to stand firm regarding its own position on a certain issue.''
When asked if Turkey asked for the approval of the U.S. Congress as a condition, Yakis said ''firstly the issues on which compromise is reached have to be put forward. After that we will see if it is necessary for the U.S. Congress to adopt the provisions in that agreement.''
When reminded about certain news stories claiming that a period of 48 hours was given to Turkey to give a decision, Yakis asked ''when did the 48 hours start?'' When reporters said there was news claiming that this period was given during the talk between Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Yakis said that ''then the period ends on Friday afternoon... If the issue is the motion, then we need an agreement which will constitute a basis for the agreement. If there is no such agreement, how will we submit the motion?''
''This week an agreement can be reached, but if you think about the schedule of the parliament, it won't be possible to present the motion,'' he said. When a reporter commented that the U.S. does not seem to wait for the schedule of the Turkish side, Yakis said that ''we have our own schedule just like the U.S. has its schedule, the parliament also has its calendar.''
Upon a question about negotiations, Yakis said that ''we are almost at the end of the negotiations.''
When reminded about some news stories in the U.S. press saying that if Turkey didn't not take the decision, the United States would act together with Kurdish formations in Northern Iraq, Yakis said, ''we have not received such an information. If such a thing happens, this means they will recognize the Kurds in Northern Iraq. In fact, they recognize Kurds as opposition of the Iraqi regime. But what will they do beyond that? No state has been set up...They told the opposite to date.''
When reminded about the new stories saying that U.S. soldiers were waiting in the Mediterranean Sea and if Turkey did not give permission, those troops would be sent to southern part of Iraq, Yakis said, ''everyone can see that giving up the option of Northern front will cost the United States much. U.S. officials told this to us many times. Even if they do not say it, everyone can see that opening of Northern front is very important for them. U.S. officials said that opening of Northern front was very important for them. We also know it.''
When recalled that there were U.S. soldiers in Iskenderun port although there was no motion which was adopted, Yakis stated that those troops came to Turkey for modernization of bases.
He stated that negotiations which were being continued in economic and political fields were taken up in three packages. When asked which package was the most problematic one, Yakis said that ''I think none of the packages is more problematic than the other one.''
When asked whether the United States demanded Turkish soldiers to be involved in hot clash, Yakis said, ''no. Turkey's entering Northern Iraq for clash was always out of question and I hope that it will be out of question.''
Responding to questions of journalists about the statement of Powell, Yakis said that ''I am not informed about it, I am not informed about such an end of the period of time.'' When reminded about the earlier news telling that the U.S. gave a period of 48-hours to Turkey, Yakis said that ''we received a message from the U.S., but it does not say that they expect an answer from us within 48 hours.''
Yakis said that it was not possible to send a reply from Turkey to the U.S. about a possible Iraqi operation the same day. ''We are not enemies with the U.S.,'' said Yakis, adding the consultation process on military, political and economic issues continued and the mechanisms worked.
When asked when Turkey would convey its response to the U.S., Yakis said that ''sending such a response today is not in question.''
Yakis stressed that the government was not delaying the submission of the motion on deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey, adding ''when consultations in all fields end, then the issues which will constitute the basis of the motion will come out.'' Yakis stressed that a period of 48 hours was not in question. When asked why today's military meetings with the U.S. were cancelled, Yakis recalled that the technical dimensions of military issues were discussed in those meetings. Yakis said the meeting was cancelled as the U.S. delegation could not get an instruction regarding the technical issues. ''There is no problem, I don't think there is a bottleneck,'' he added.
(ÖS-AÖ) 20.02.2003