ANKARA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that Turkey temporarily suspended the activities of its embassy in Baghdad as of February 26 due to extraordinary atmosphere in Iraq but diplomatic relations with Iraq were under way.
Releasing a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Iraq was an important neighboring country with which Turkey shared the same geography and had historical and cultural ties and maintained friendly relations, adding that Turkey was always in favor of protection of Iraq's territorial integrity, political unity and sovereignty.
Noting that Turkey attributed great importance to continuation of good neighborly and friendly relations with Iraq and Iraqi people's living in peace and prosperity, the statement stressed that the current temporary situation would not cause any change in Turkey's policy and its friendly feelings for Iraqi people. Emphasizing that as a country which had been facing negative impacts of the Gulf War since early 1990s, Turkey had been expending sincere efforts for peaceful solution to Iraq issue, the statement said even during the current stage, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul had visited neighbors of Iraq and important countries in the region and hosted a meeting in Istanbul with participation of foreign ministers to prove his determination in protection of Iraq's territorial integrity and peaceful solution.
Noting that Prime Minister Gul who had attended the European Union (EU) Troika's meeting on February 18 had once again expended his efficient efforts for a peaceful solution, the statement said also the EU supported Turkey's efforts.
The statement said that Turkey's opinions, expectations and recommendations about peaceful solution had been conveyed to the Iraqi administration through high-level contacts, and Turkey which had not given up hope for peaceful solution believed that there were steps that Iraq could take on this path.
Stressing that Turkey hoped that the conditions in Iraq would turn back to normal and problems of Iraqi people would end as soon as possible and they would live in peace and prosperity, the statement said Turkey wanted peace and stability to be settled in the region, and it wanted Iraq to take the place it deserved in international community as soon as possible, adding to this end, Turkey continued its sincere efforts.
(MS) 26.02.2003