ANKARA - Iraqi Ambassador in Ankara Talib Abid Salih said on Wednesday that approval of second motion by the parliament on Thursday regarding possible U.S. military action against Iraq would mean Turkey's involvement in war together with the United States.
Holding a press conference at the Iraqi Embassy in Ankara, Salih said that he had come to Turkey two months ago with great hopes to improve economic relations but now Turkey was about to take a decision on involvement in a war.
Recalling that former prime minister Adnan Menderes had asked for construction of a pipeline via Turkey from then King of Iraq in 1957 but the Iraqi government had rejected it, Salih said Iraqi Head of State Saddam Hussein had approved this construction upon former president Suleyman Demirel's request in 1975.
Noting that Baghdad administration had rushed to help Turkey when Bulent Ecevit who had served as prime minister in 1970s had wanted oil from Iraq, Salih recalled that Iraq had also allowed Turkey to enter northern Iraq in 1986.
Recalling that Turkey had stood by the United States during the Gulf crisis, Salih said, ''Turkey could not earn anything by supporting the United States but it suffered more than seventy billion U.S. dollars loss.''
Salih said there was not a legal and ethical reason for involvement of any country in U.S.-led war on Iraq, and such a war would only serve the interests of the United States.
Although Turkish Ambassador in Baghdad Osman Paksut had left Iraq, they would not close their embassy in Ankara, Salih said and added that they would maintain their good relations with the Turkish authorities.
When asked whether or not they would attack on Turkey, Salih said, ''Turkey joined the war against Iraq also during the Gulf crisis. At that time, Iraq did not give reaction although it had capabilities. Besides, Mr. Tariq Aziz stated during his latest visit to Istanbul that Iraq has neither intention to attack on Turkey nor any weapon.''
Recalling that 96 percent of Turkish people were against war, Salih defended that the United States wanted to divide Iraq.
Claiming that Turkey would become an invader if it entered northern Iraq, and communities in the region would not accept it, Salih added that they would continue their activities in Ankara if a military action against Iraq started.
(MS) 26.02.2003