ANKARA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that the government was acting very carefully in taking the rightest decisions for the future of the state and nation regarding a possible military action against Iraq.
Speaking at the group meeting of his party, Erdogan said that the global equation of the world still continued to be shaped up with war.
Erdogan noted that Turkey had launched all diplomatic initiatives to prevent a war in its region and in the world and taken initiative by pursuing an active policy and even put forth its open and clear view.
''Turkey's efforts for peace will continue uninterruptedly also from now on. But, all decisions are taken very carefully against worst possibilities despite Turkey's efforts in order to protect our state and nation. Everybody sees that our government is very determined to protect interests of the state and nation. Our government has protected not only the interests of our country but also its traditional strategic partnerships,'' said Erdogan.
Erdogan noted that all the world saw how Turkey tried to avoid a war in Iraq and went on saying, ''as the government, we have thought how the new world order should be in regard to Turkey's national interests and future of the region and we continue to do so. We have shared your views. We have worked hard and we have spoken once after thinking for three or five times.''
''We have continued our relations with the United States in a ground in which our sensitivities are reciprocally understood. We have tried to establish transparent, honest and frank relations with not only the United States but also European Union (EU) countries, Russia and Muslim countries. We have tried to explain Turkey's and region's sensitivities to U.S. officials in every level,'' said Erdogan.
Erdogan said that there was still hope for peace in Iraq; last word had not been said yet, and legitimacy of a possible war had been the point of discussion in the world and at the U.N. Security Council so far.
''I also think it very important that U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan with whom we had a meeting yesterday is still hopeful about peace,'' he said.
''After all these, the government sent or will send motions on dispatch of Turkish troops abroad and stationing of foreign soldiers in Turkey. You should know that as the government of Turkish people, our government is quite careful about taking the rightest decisions about future of the state and people,'' Erdogan said.
''So requirements of living in this geography, Turkey's geostrategic interests, Turkey's contributions to peace in the region and in the world, and protection of our people's safety lie beneath every decision,'' Erdogan added.
(BRC-MS-AÖ) 25.02.2003