Gul: Turkey Will Make Its Own Decision On Northern Iraq

ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday that Turkey would make its own decision on Northern Iraq when it thought that there was such a need.
Gul replied to questions of reporters in a reception hosted at the Hilton Hotel on Greece's national day.
Asked about the stage of negotiations on sending soldiers to Northern Iraq, Gul said, ''all our statements should be trusted. Of course, Turkey will make its own decision on the issue when it thinks there is such a need. There can't be anything so natural like our coordination with our allies in the atmosphere of war.''
Drawing the attention that even countries which joined the war together sometimes had disagreements, Gul said that a negative development in negotiations with the United States was out of question.
Replying to another question, Gul said that it would not be right to consider negotiations with the United States a trade agreement.
Answering the questions, British Ambassador to Turkey Peter Westmacott said that the military action against Iraq was going well and they were in a good dialogue with Turkey.
Westmacott added that they did not have any base demand from Turkey.
(BRC-AÖ) 25.03.2003