ANKARA - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and State Minister Ali Babacan left for Brussels on Thursday to attend the European Union (EU) summit.
Prior to their departure, Gul told reporters that what was important for Turkey was the protection of Iraq's territorial integrity.
When he was reminded about the news that the United States wanted to deploy soldiers in Turkish territory, Gul said, ''we have not received such news yet.''
Gul noted that what was demanded by the United States was the use of air space and that the use of air space was allowed with the voting held in the parliament the same day.
Asked what their response would be if such a demand came from the United States, Gul said, ''it is an issue concerning the government.''
Replying to a question about his phone conversation with British Foreign Minister Jack Straw, Gul said that the conversation was within the framework of the ally countries and that the British officials demanded to use Turkish air space.
Gul noted, ''I told him that a decision had not been made yet.''
Asked when Turkish soldiers would start to enter Northern Iraq, Gul said, ''Turkey does not have any intention regarding Iraqi soil. What is important for us is to protect Iraq's territorial integrity, to accept that Iraqi resources belong to whole Iraq, to accept that Iraq's main elements Arabs and Turkmens should be represented according to their population. And, as you know, Turkish Armed Forces has a fight against terrorist organizations like PKK and KADEK. What is important is not to cause any vacuum there for these terrorist organizations. Also, migration to Turkey should be prevented before immigrants enter Turkish border. Turkey does not have any intention regarding Iraq other than all these issues. Turkish Armed Forces does not have any intention either. There is no doubt that there is a de facto situation. Unfortunately, the issue could not be settled peacefully. This is a process. Turkey will do the most correct thing in this process.''
Gul stated that they planned to hold several bilateral contacts in Brussels and added that they would confirm Turkey's determination to continue efforts in EU membership process and express views about regional and international issues.
BABACAN: WHATEVER WE ANNOUNCED REFLECTED THE FACTS OF THAT MOMENT
State Minister Ali Babacan said that whatever they announced reflected the facts of that moment when expressing his view about the comments that he misled the markets with his statements the day before and the previous day.
Babacan told reporters that developments regarding the U.S. operation against Iraq were changing each passing hour.
Babacan said, ''as you know, developments regarding U.S. operation against Iraq were in a very dynamic period especially in the period when the war was nearing. There were contacts held very often in the last 48 and 24 hours. This period was a period when facts changed in every moment. Whatever we announced reflected the facts of that moment.''
They were closely following all the developments in that very important and sensitive period, Babacan stated.
Babacan said that they also followed the markets very closely and noted, ''necessary measures are being taken on time. There can be different measures later. All these measures will be within the framework of market rules.''
All units of the economy management, the Treasury, the Central Bank and supreme boards were all working in harmony, Babacan pointed out.
Babacan said that they had exerted necessary efforts for all the possible scenarios weeks ago.
Measures against those scenarios were being taken when necessary and would continue to be taken, Babacan emphasized.
Asked if there would be some concrete measures, Babacan said that they would be announced when the time came.
When asked if there was a project to find source from citizens working abroad, Babacan said, ''there are many projects. Some of them are short-term projects while some are long-term projects. All of them will be announced when the right time comes.''
Asked if they contacted with the U.S. Treasury Department officials after the adoption of the motion, Babacan said, ''everything will be announced when the time comes.''
(BRC-AÖ) 20.03.2003