Erdogan: Commitments Given By U.S. To Turkey Should Be Signed At Highest Level

ANKARA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that commitments which were given by the United States to Turkey regarding a possible operation against Iraq should be signed at the highest level and presented to Turkey as a written document and added that they could not accept verbal commitments.
Attending in a programme on a private tv channel late on Thursday, Erdogan said that motion on deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad could be submitted to the parliament next week and added that however he did not know whether it would be approved or not. He said that they would not take a group decision on the issue.
When recalled U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's statement that Turkey should give a response to the United States till the end of February 20, Erdogan said that dates had been earlier given, but later those days were changed.
Stating that Turkey took a step by approving a motion regarding renovation of ports and bases at the parliament and always showed self-sacrifice, Erdogan said that Powell said that ''there was nothing which the United States would do'' when Prime Minister Abdullah Gul asked the United States to take a step in response to Turkey's self-sacrifice.
Noting that this was not a simple bargaining issue, he said that it was related with restructuring of the region.
Asked whether the motion would come to the parliament on Friday, Erdogan said, ''if they are waiting for the motion, there will be no ground where motion will be debated on Friday.''
Stating that he did not know when the government would submit the motion to the parliament, he noted that there was big difference between the first and the second motion.
Erdogan said, ''the second motion is not like the first one. We, as a democratic country, have to respect decision which the parliament will take on the issue.''
He said that when Bulent Ecevit, prime minister of the 57th government, went to the United States, a free trade agreement was in question, but this agreement was not passed from the U.S. Congress yet although 13-14 months passed.
Stating that they were told that the Congress's passing a decision on financial aids which were planned to be given to Turkey could take 6 or 8 weeks, and there was also a possibility for the Congress not to approve the decision, Erdogan said ''This is natural in a democratic country. This is exactly what I am saying. We cannot bind the decisions of the Parliament. We have earlier said that we do not want to take a group decision on the issue. This country is not a sultanate.''
Erdogan added that the document related with the military, economic, and political promises given by the United States to Turkey should be signed at the highest level by the United States, Erdogan said it was not possible for them to accept a verbal commitment.
ERDOGAN: US SHOULD SHOW THE SAME SACRIFICE TURKEY SHOWS FOR IT
Erdogan said that Turkey pursued a policy regarding the developments by thinking from a wide perspective and with great responsibility.
Erdogan said that Turkey showed a sacrifice by permitting the use of the reconnaissance planes and by adopting the first motion, adding that the United States should show the same sacrifice, but it didn't do it to date. Erdogan said that the reconstruction of the region, not a simple bargain, was in question.
''What does the United States expect from Turkey until 7.00 a.m. in the morning?'' asked journalist Ali Kirca to Erdogan who said that ''if it waits for the motion, there is no basis of discussing such a motion tomorrow. It can be next week, it can be next Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, I don't know. We must respect the decision which the Parliament will take as we are a democratic country. When Mr. Ecevit went to the United States last year, the issue of signing a free trade agreement with the United States had come to agenda. When we went to the United States, I asked about the issue to American officials. They told me that the Congress was on holiday and it would come to agenda after the holiday ended. 13-14 months passed, but we still wait for a decision to be taken by the U.S. Congress. The same is valid for the economic issues between Turkey and the United States. The U.S. delegation tells us that they have to get a decision from the U.S. Congress to turn the donation into a credit. It is natural for a democratic country to use such an expression. This is what I also say. We can't bind the decisions of the parliament. We also can't force our party to take a group decision, free will is important in this context.''
''You are the leader of AK Party. Can you say that you are responsible in front of the history in any decision that will be taken?'' asked Ali Kirca to Erdogan who said that ''if we take a group decision, yes.''
When reminded about the statements of the U.S. administration, Erdogan said that Powell told that the weapon inspectors could continue their studies until March 1, but the United States also noted that their time was running out. Erdogan said there was uncertainty, the world looked for a reason, but as it was not persuaded, it could not form a coalition.
When asked what Turkey expected from the United States regarding a written document, Erdogan said, ''Turkey expects a document which will be the most powerful document at negotiations regarding the issue in the international diplomacy. Because it is not an ordinary event. This document should be prepared and signed at the highest level. This document should be signed, it cannot be a verbal thing.''
Asked whether the motion would be presented to the parliament or not, if written commitment came from the United States, Erdogan said that he was not the person who could decide on that issue and stated that the government would or would not submit the motion after joint negotiations accordingly.
When recalled U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson's statement that ''Erdogan delays the process. There is no need for this document. Bush's promise can be considered commitment'', Erdogan said that he did not see any verbal commitment in relations and international policy and stated that it was valid for all politicians.
Erdogan said that those commitments must depend on written document and added that this would be like that in the world political history today and tomorrow.
Erdogan stated, ''to this end, Pearson does not know this business. How can you act by verbal things in international policy? There is a very important incident in the Middle East. There is a need for a written document. I cannot accept such a thing because I have responsibilities.''
Stating that they gave permission to the United States for reconnaissance aircraft and they opened bases to modernization, Erdogan said that they put forth some demands in response to that and added that an attitude that ''we want this and that, you are free to accept it or not'' was not a self-sacrificing attitude.
When asked what things Turkey demanded from the United States, Erdogan said that they wanted territorial integrity of Iraq to be respected and stated that they did not want any states to be founded there.
Stating that underground resources belonged to Iraqi people, Erdogan said that they wanted an arrangement as Arabs, Kurds, Turks and other minorities in the region.
Erdogan said that as far as he knew, the United States did not take any step regarding those issues which were demanded by Turkey.
When asked why the United States wanted this war, Erdogan said that if Saddam Hussein fulfilled demands of the United Nations, the real character of the incident would appear.
When asked whether he expected a division on voting of the second motion at the parliament or not, he said, ''I hope that deputies will act in course of the motion.''
Erdogan added, ''the United States should show the same self-sacrifice in response to Turkey's self-sacrifice. We expect it.''
(Öª-EÖ-AÖ) 21.02.2003