WASHINGTON - The United States welcomed statement of Chief of General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok who said at a press conference that Turkey would act in coordination with the United States in northern Iraq.
An official from the U.S. Department of State told the A.A correspondent that they noted positively statement of Gen. Ozkok who said that Turkey would not attempt to dispatch any troop which would not be in coordination with the United States to northern Iraq.
The same official recalled statement of U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell who said on Tuesday that he held close consultations on Turkey's needs regarding its position in northern Iraq with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and stated that the United States attributed great importance to Turkey's sensitivity on that issue.
Gen. Ozkok who spoke on Wednesday at a press conference at the 7th Army Corps Command in southeastern province of Diyarbakir recalled that there had been elements of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in northern Iraq.
Gen. Ozkok said, ''an instability, which can stem from any attack on these elements of the TSK, a serious inflow of Iraqi refugees into Turkish borders, and any attack of one of the armed forces in the region on the other force or on civilians, is our most important security consideration. If these or similar threats and jeopardies emerge and it is understood that our forces in the region cannot prevent them, the TSK can take a decision to send reinforcement forces to northern Iraq.''
General Ozkok added, ''since our strategic ally the United States has still been fighting in the region, we stage our actions in coordination with the United States. Also, all necessary initiatives will be launched to prevent any misunderstandings. We will not enter northern Iraq with the aim of fighting or occupation. We do not have any intention to establish a permanent buffer zone.''
(EÖ-AÖ) 27.03.2003