ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Wednesday, ''Turkey has been attributing great importance to its strategic partnership relations with the United States. I told him that there will be not any change in Turkey's attitude.''
Releasing a statement, the Presidential Press Center said, ''President Sezer received U.S. Secretary of State Powell earlier in the day. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was also in attendance at the meeting.''
''During the meeting, Powell said that friendly relations between Turkey and the United States have been proved with samples of cooperation in many fields for years. He noted that the United States understood Turkey's views about the Iraq issue. Powell said that the United States appreciated Turkey's support and thanked Turkey,'' it said.
The statement noted, ''Powell noted that they had done their utmost to solve the Iraq issue peacefully and that U.S. President George W. Bush had brought to issue onto agenda of the United Nations Security Council. He added that Iraq did not accept to cooperate with the United Nations in line with relevant resolutions of the Security Council. Powell noted that they would be sensitive toward Turkey's concerns about northern Iraq. He stressed that they would not allow developments which were not desired by Turkey. Powell also explained views of the United States about arrangements following the war. He emphasized that the United States was determined about formation of a democratic government to be elected by people in a country which was purified from weapons of mass destruction under its territorial integrity.''
''Meanwhile, President Sezer said Turkey had been attributing great importance to its strategic partnership relations with the United States. President Sezer told Powell that there would be not any change in Turkey's attitude. President Sezer recalled that Turkey had paid a heavy bill due to 1991's Gulf War and recent Iraq crisis. Recalling that Turkey had opened its airspace to U.S. and British planes under its strategic partnership relation, President Sezer noted that efforts should be maintained in order to further strengthen relations between Turkey and the United States,'' it said.
The statement added, ''noting that Turkey was aware of current concerns of the United States, President Sezer said that Turkey had extended the necessary support to the United States and would continue to do so. President Sezer stressed that Turkey expected the United States to be sensitive about Turkey's concerns. President Sezer also explained Turkey's views about the future of Iraq and added that Turkey would contribute to rebuilding of Iraq.''
(UK-AÖ) 02.04.2003