ANKARA - The U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson said on Tuesday that he conveyed the views of Washington to Prime Minister Abdullah Gul regarding the refusal of the motion in the Parliament which was about deployment of foreign troops in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Northern Iraq.
Pearson, who spoke to press following the meeting in Prime Ministry, said he conveyed the views of Washington to Gul, and that he listened to the views of Gul regarded what could happen in the coming days.
Pearson said he and Gul talked about the value and importance of Turkish-U.S. relations, and that they would continue to work together on issues which had earlier been discussed. Pearson said resulting those issues were important from the point of view of the United States.
Responding to a question whether or not he still has hope regarding passage of a second motion from the Parliament, Pearson said they have hope as they always had. He said that was the hope to be in close cooperation with Turkey, stating that he hoped to work in close relations with Turkey for many reasons.
Pearson said this could be either Iraq or support for Turkish economy, or cooperation between the soldiers of Turkey and the United States, and noted that those were very important issues to reach an agreement.
When asked whether or not the United States would give financial aid to Turkey pertaining to a possible action against Iraq, Pearson said there would not be a financial package without an agreement and expressed wish of Washington for the financial package to be a support to Turkish economy.
(AY-AÖ) 04.03.2003