Iranian Foreign Minister Kharrazi In Ankara

ANKARA - Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi arrived in Ankara for a working visit.
Kharrazi will hold a tete-a-tete meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul within the scope of his visits. Kharrazi will also be received by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
GUL: WE TAKE UP OUR COMMON CONCERNS OVER IRAQ WAR AND NORTHERN IRAQ
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said on Sunday that they took up their common concerns over Iraq war and northern Iraq.
Gul held a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi.
Pointing out that Turkey and Iran were two rooted countries in the region, Gul said that it was natural that the two important countries of the world was exchanging views about the latest developments.
Gul noted that Turkish-Iranian relations were very developed in recent days and added, ''the difficulties faced temporarily were overcome. A good condition was reached in the fields of security, politics and economy and we are dwelling on the opportunities to develop these relations.''
Defining the visit of Kharrazi as ''on time'', Gul said that regional countries, including Turkey exerted efforts to avoid war but the war erupted.
Gul stated that they met with Kharrazi in order to evaluate the latest developments.
Consultations would continue, Gul pointed out.
Gul said that the economic delegations of the two countries planned to meet in coming days.
Replying to a question, Gul said that Kharrazi came to Ankara upon the invitation of Turkey.
Gul announced that he would hold contacts in Damascus on April 13 upon the invitation of Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara.
KHARRAZI: TWO COUNTRIES HAVE COMMON INTERESTS ABOUT FUTURE OF REGION
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said on Sunday that Turkey and Iran had common interests about the future of the region and Northern Iraq.
Kharrazi said that he came to Turkey upon the invitation of Gul in the sensitive days the region was experiencing and expressed pleasure to exchange views.
Kharrazi noted that Turkish-Iranian relations were in very pleasing dimensions in recent years and hoped that they would further improve their cooperation.
They took up Iraq war and developments in northern Iraq during their meeting, Kharrazi stated.
Kharrazi said that their contacts had utmost importance for preservation of their common interests.
Iran had assumed an attitude against the war since the outset and exerted efforts to avoid war, Kharrazi pointed out.
Kharrazi said that their opposition to war did not mean supporting Saddam regime and that Iran was among the countries which had suffered the biggest damages in the Saddam regime for long years.
Iraqi people should determine their destiny by themselves not with the pressure of the foreign forces, Kharrazi noted.
Kharrazi stated that the ongoing war was against the United Nations (U.N.) resolutions and international law.
The U.N. should intervene in the process as soon as possible to determine to future of the Iraqi people, Kharrazi said.
Kharrazi noted that Iraq's stability would not be possible without the support of its neighbors.
Therefore, Kharrazi said, the concerns and common interests of neighboring countries should be taken into consideration.
Kharrazi underlined that they attached importance to Iraq's territorial integrity and they would never permit division of Iraq.
Asking the United States to put an end to its mistakes and respect to Iraqi people, Kharrazi said that they saw the attitude of the Iraqi people, they supported neither the Iraqi regime nor those who attack them.
Kharrazi added that the Iraqis were people who searched for their rights.
KHARRAZI: THEY FAVOR HOLDING TRIPARTITE MEETINGS
Kharrazi said that they favored holding tripartite meetings among Turkey, Iran and Syria regarded with the developments in the region.
Kharrazi and Foreign Minister Gul held a joint news conference and responded to the questions of reporters.
When asked whether or not he proposed enlivening of mechanism among Turkey, Iran and Syria, Iranian FM said it was natural for the three regional countries to hold exchange of views. He said that this was something necessary and they favored such meetings.
Responding to a question which said whether or not intervention of a country was an acceptable alternative in case incidents in Northern Iraq go out of control, and in case possibility of establishment of a separate country appears, Kharrazi said as he had stated earlier, Iran did not approve intervention of a foreign country in Iraq, and absolutely did not want this. He said they welcomed Turkey's attitude in this respect.
Responding to a question about possible refugee inflow from Northern Iraq, Kharrazi said Iranian government cooperated with the international organizations and took all necessary measures. Kharrazi said he thought they would come face to face with big refugee inflow, and that they would do their best in this respect.
Kharrazi said Iran favored Iraq's territorial integrity, and that they opposed to establishment of a separate government in the north or somewhere else.
Responding another question Kharrazi said he did not want appointment from President Ahmet Necdet Sezer as his visit was short.
When Kharrazi was reminded the accusations which the United States made against Iran and Syria recently, he said those accusations were not new. He said policy of the United States in the region was ''either you are with us, or you are against us'' and noted that Iranian government was based on people and was independent.
Kharrazi said the United States could not manage to obtain an important success in Afghanistan, and that course of war would show to what extend they would obtain success in Iraq.
Replying to questions, Gul pointed to importance of contacts among regional countries and said that he would hold contacts in Damascus on April 13.
Gul noted that the invitation came from Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara.
Their first wish was that the war should last short and civilian losses should be as few as possible, Gul said.
Gul recalled that Iraq's reconstruction would come onto the agenda after war.
The reconstruction should be in the direction of the demands of the Iraqi people and in a democratic structure in which all main elements of Iraq would join, Gul stated.
Gul asked all countries neighbor to Iraq to exert every effort in that process.
Replying to a question about the relations of Turkey with the United States within the framework of war, Gul said that Turkey was an open country and developments occurred in front of everybody.
Gul noted that Turkey opened its airspace to the United States but no war plane which took off from Turkish airports joined the operation.
Dispatch of military equipment from Turkish territory was out of question, Gul stated.
Gul said, ''therefore, a movement towards war against Iraq via Turkey is out of question.''
Following initiatives would be within the framework of humanitarian aid efforts, Gul pointed out.
When a reporter said that the interim government which would be formed by the United States in the south of Iraq would not be recognized by Iran and asked what Turkey's stance would be, Gul said that they were following the developments but it was not possible to say anything about that issue at the moment.
Gul drew the attention that Iraqi Embassy in Ankara was still open and continued its activities.
They would altogether see how Iraq's reconstruction would be after the war, Gul added.