Erdogan: This War Should End As Soon As Possible

ANKARA - Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Tuesday that the war in Iraq should end as soon as possible.
Arinc visited the same day Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Arinc said that he visited Prime Minister Erdogan after the government got vote of confidence in the parliament and he congratulated him.
Upon a question about the operation in Iraq, Arinc said that the government was aware of its responsibilities and it closely monitored the operation.
''The government says that it will continue to launch efforts for the peaceful solution of the issue. I consider positive the efforts of the government. We see the things happening in Iraq, everybody is sorry for the things he/she sees on tv,'' Arinc said.
Arinc said, ''cold face of the war, cries of people which sadden others, children, bombed cities, the death, the injured are not right and pleasant images. Therefore, we all feel pain. This war should be ended as soon as possible. International efforts to this end continue to increase. We hope that this military action in Iraq will be ended and crises and problems will be settled peacefully as soon as possible. Efforts of the U.N. continue to increase. I think that we can reach such a result if international pressure increases.''
When a reporter said that the government got authorization of the parliament and asked if it would use that authorization, Arinc said, ''the government will use the authorization and permission it got from the parliament when necessary. It says so. The government will use this authorization in the best way by taking into consideration Turkey's national interests. The government is the organ which will appreciate whether or not there is such a need. I haven't ask them anything about this issue.''
Asked how he evaluated statements of the United States about the issue, Arinc said that he did not want to say anything on the issue.
Replying to questions if there was a third motion, if the United States decided not to use the north front and if he had discussed the issue with the prime minister, Arinc said that they did not evaluate the issue.
Pointing out that they discussed several general issues with Prime Minister Erdogan, Arinc said, ''we are not military officials covering military operation step by step. I don't have such a responsibility as the Parliament Speaker. The incidents we see and experience make us sorrowful on behalf of humanity. We believe that we undertook necessary responsibility as the Parliament. We back the decision we have taken. This is respectability of the Parliament. We see that all the institutions respected the decisions of Parliament.
Arinc said he felt sorrow to see that most of the media and the international media brought the action in Iraq to the televisions multilaterally, they as if turned it into a psychological war. I would like to say that those attitudes are wrong as well as the action. I would not like to make more comments. Obviously it is the government which administer the country. Both the government, the armed forces and all state institutions do their best in incidents pertaining to Iraq. I see that all of them are careful.''
(ÖS-BRC-AY-AÖ) 25.03.2003