ANKARA - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that Turkey's presence in Northern Iraq would be an element of confidence and security both for the region and for Turkey, stating that, ''foreign evaluations on the issue are extremely exaggerated and goes beyond Turkey's intentions.''
Gul, who addressed the Parliamentary General Assembly, pointed out that future of global order was re-structured particularly in the region which also includes Turkey. Gul said Turkey was in an extremely critical turning point in this international and regional conjuncture, noting that the government was resolved to carry out the Turkish foreign policy with a long term perspective and in line with regional and global dynamics in this sensitive period.
Gul said the policies which Turkey would cover would be important not only for Turkey and the region but also in global criterion.
''Turkey's situation which has gained such a central position cannot be connected only to the geography. Our country which is a member of both the Western and Islamic worlds is a secular, democratic and social state of law, and these characteristics of our country constitute a source of inspiration for all nations who have a desire for modernization. With such a position it has, Turkey is the only country that can prove that 'conflict of civilizations' thesis is wrong,'' he said.
''Our armed forces not only is a perfect force that provides our safety and our country's security, but also undertakes an important function in regional plans for securing peace as it is seen with the roles it successfully undertook in regions from Bosnia Herzegovina to Afghanistan,'' Gul noted.
''The war in our neighboring country Iraq once again shows how much fragile the Middle East's structure is. When also the U.N. process for Iraq was exhausted, efforts for a peaceful solution to which we contributed with our diplomatic efforts, failed. Now our priority is to minimize possible negative impacts of this war which has turned all Iraqi territories into battlefields,'' he stressed.
Gul recalled that half a million people sheltered across Turkey-Iraq border at one night under very difficult conditions after the 1991 Gulf War.
The aim of existence of Turkish Armed Forces in Northern Iraq was to prevent occurrence of a similar tragedy and preserve border security, Gul said.
Gul noted that Turkish-U.S. cooperation which had been further improved on 50-year alliance ground and which had gained a strategic aspect, had a significant contribution to welfare and stability in the Central East which was a sensitive geography.
''External evaluations about this issue are evaluations which are beyond Turkey's intentions,'' Gul said.
Gul stated that determined steps would be taken to start membership negotiations in the period towards European Union (EU) summit due in December 2004.
''It is our most natural right to expect the EU countries to complete their own preparations like we do and eliminate some obstacles before integration with our country,'' said Gul.
Gul noted that finding a fair and permanent solution to Cyprus issue had become a national case.
A solution to the Cyprus issue would not cause any initiative which would jeopardize Turkish existence in the island, Gul pointed out.
(AY-MS-BRC-AÖ) 26.03.2003