ANKARA - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday that Turkey was in the coalition, and that it acted together with the ally countries.
In a joint statement he made together with U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell, Gul said Powell's visit had an important timing both for the government and for the Turkish people. Gul said views of those, who exhibit doubtful approach for Turkish-U.S. relations recently, were revealed not to be right.
Stating that the government in its program openly expressed the importance it attributed to relations with the United States, Gul said, ''our close cooperation which we had in Korea 50 years ago, and our close cooperation recently in Afghanistan, continues today.''
Pointing out that war in the region could not be prevented despite all the efforts, Gul said they wished the war not to last long, and to end with the minimum loss for all the sides.
Gul said, ''Turkey is in the coalition and acts together with the ally countries,'' and Parliament determined the legal limits of the support which Turkey would expend.
Recalling that Turkey allowed overflights, Gul said cooperation within the government's authority, as a requirement of alliance, also continued. Gul said he was sure that Turkey's importance was better understood when countries within the coalition was considered.
Gul said advanced cooperation facilities were discussed during his meeting with Powell, and noted that cooperation on the issue of humanitarian aid would continue.
Gul said northern Iraq was also discussed and that views were reviewed, stating that there was mutual understanding in this respect.
Foreign Minister Gul said cooperation with the United States would be toward future of Iraq, and that Turkey, which is the democratic and secular country of the region that has a free market economy, was a model to the region.
Gul said Powell's visit would further strengthen Turkish-U.S. relations, and overcome suspicions of those who have doubts on bilateral relations.
POWELL: TURKEY IS THE BEST MODEL FOR IRAQ WHICH WE THINK TO REBUILD
Powell said that Turkey was the best model for Iraq which they thought to re-build.
Powell said that they targeted to create a democratic country in which all rights of Iraqi people would be taken under guarantee at the end of the war.
Noting that Turkey would play a very important role rebuilding efforts of Iraq, Powell said that Turkey would constitute the best model for Iraq as a Muslim and democratic country.
Stressing that they wanted a democratic Iraq living in peace with its neighbors, Powell said that they would create such an Iraq.
Describing his contacts in Turkey as very productive, Powell noted that the two countries had had very good relations for more than 50 years.
Noting that they had formed a coalition in Iraq against the regime of Saddam Hussein, Powell said that Turkey was an important member of this coalition.
Expressing their disappointment over rejection of the motion on dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad and deployment of foreign armed forces in Turkey on March 1, Powell said that all the problems were resolved as a result of works of very competent experts.
Powell said that they welcomed Turkey's giving permission to the U.S. to use its airspace, adding that they also took up with Gul the method of sending humanitarian assistance to Northern Iraq.
Powell said that they took into consideration the concerns of Turkey about Northern Iraq, adding that Turkey also had uneasiness about a potential refugee influx. Turkey had concerns about terrorist attacks against it and the issue of spreading of the situation in Kurdish region towards the south, he said. ''We have been able to demonstrate to our Turkish friends that we are monitoring the situation closely. We have it under control and therefore at the moment there is no need for any movement of Turkish forces across the border,'' Powell said. Powell said that they decided to set up a coordination committee during their meetings the same day, adding that the committee would deal with sorting out problems in the future.
Powell said that he informed Turkish officials about the operation against Iraq, adding that the military operation was carried out in a very good way and with resolution.
Powell asserted that the Iraqi powers weakened every passing day and the coalition powers became more powerful.
Powell stated that very less time was left for the operation to be completed successfully, adding that if the operation was completed successfully, the Iraqi people would have a better country which would respect democratic rights and which would live in peace with its neighbours.
Powell stated that they also took up the bilateral relations during their contacts, adding that they discussed the Cyprus issue and they hoped to have better developments about that issue in the future.
GUL: THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY MOTION FOR ALL KINDS OF COOPERATION WE DISCUSSED TODAY
Gul said, ''there is no need for any motion for all kinds of cooperation we discussed today. All these can be solved within authority of the government. Therefore, the government will further develop this cooperation by using its initiative.''
When asked whether or not Turkey would extend logistic support to the United States, Gul said, ''as I said before, the cooperation between Turkey and the United States has been continuing on many levels and will continue in the future. Food and other humanitarian aid will be sent to Iraqi people through Turkey. A reciprocal agreement has been reached to this end. Turkey has also been cooperating with the United States on the issues of landing of planes carrying the injured people and transportation of other injured people.''
When asked whether or not the possibility of opening a northern front via Turkey was still in question, Powell said that some special military units had been sent to northern Iraq.
Noting that other forces could intervene in from time to time or enter Iraq from the south, Powell said that commanders would take decision on these issues.
Powell said that they used Northern Front in a different way from the one foreseen in the first original plan, adding that the U.S.'s plans were flexible and that they could change according to the developments.
When asked about the details of the cooperation which the U.S. would make with Turkey and about the contributions of Kurdish groups to that in Northern Iraq, Powell recalled that food and other kinds of sources were transferred to the region via Turkey. Powell said that search and rescue operations could also come to agenda when the U.S. troops were deployed in Northern Iraq and added that the U.S. knew that the Turkish government always worked very actively about the issue of humanitarian assistance.
Powell said that they expected the issue of representation in the commission that would be set up among the concerned sides in Northern Iraq to be sorted out within one week, adding that he thought the existing tension would also decrease. Powell stated that the sides were more concerned a few weeks ago, adding that a more stable situation was ensured when certain U.S. troops were deployed in the region.
When reminded that more civilians started to die during the U.S. operation against Iraq, Powell said that American commanders prepared their plans to keep the casualties at the minimum level. Powell stressed that they tried to be very careful not to hurt the civilians. Powell said that the U.S. targeted the command centers and military installations, adding that these policies would continue.
Expressing sorrow over the death of civilian people, Powell said that the war started as the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein didn't fulfill his international obligations. When the existing Iraqi regime ended its term in office, a better administration would come to power, Powell said adding that the new government would come out from the Iraqi people and that it would represent the whole Iraq.
(End)
(UK-Öª-AÖ) 02.04.2003