BELGRADE/ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul who attended the Southeast European Countries Cooperation Process Heads of States and Governments Summit in Belgrade, arrived in Turkey on Wednesday.
Erdogan and Gul who came to Belgrade on Tuesday afternoon, had many bilateral contacts and attended the summit meetings.
Responding to questions of journalists about the recent developments in Iraq during his visit to Damat Ali Pasha Tomb in Belgrade, Prime Minister Erdogan said that the fight in Iraq had to be ended immediately and the foundation of a democratic process under the auspices of the U.N. had to be set up in Iraq in the post-war era.
Reminding that Red Crescent under the auspices of U.N. was charged to go to Iraq, Erdogan said that the Red Crescent was charged to take the wounded persons, to treat them, and provide food and medicine to them.
Erdogan said that the U.N had to interfere with the post-war process in Iraq and the foundation of the democratic country had to be laid.
Upon questions of journalists about the Turkish-Greek meeting, Prime Minister Erdogan said that ''we stressed that Turkey and Greece had to attribute importance to the process between them and we had to take steps in positive direction.'' Erdogan said that they reached consensus of opinion about improvement of the trade between the two countries, and to support the businessmen in this regard.
Erdogan said that Greece would continue to support EU membership process of Turkey. Upon a question, Erdogan said that Greece was not in a rush to find a solution to Cyprus issue until April 16. ''April 16 is not the end of everything,'' he said.
Noting that Turkey and Greece could only provide support and courage to the sides on the island, Erdogan said that ''if both Turkey and Greece give support about this issue, it will be good.''
Erdogan said that not only Turkey, but Greece should also be resolved about this issue, adding that both sides had to be self-sacrificing to reach a common point.
Erdogan also visited and laid a wreath in the graveyard of Serbian former prime minister Zoran Cincic who was assassinated.
Erdogan said U.N. had to take role in formation of the political structure following the intervention of the U.S. in Iraq.
''While U.N. takes role in the political structure in Iraq, and its democratization process after the war, it has to take into consideration firstly the territorial integrity of Iraq and the fact that its resources belonged only to the Iraqi people,'' he said.
Responding to questions of journalists at Esenboga Airport, Erdogan said that both Red Crescent and Red Cross had to carry out initiatives about the wounded persons regarding the humanitarian aid and that the hospitals in Turkey had to be opened to the wounded persons of Iraq.
Reminding that aid materials of Red Crescent composed of medicine and food were sent to the region, Erdogan said that the TIRs probably reached the region today.
Noting that United Nations had to assume a role in political reconstruction after the war, Erdogan said that ''terrorism looks for the weakest periods of countries...Iraq should not be the basis of terrorist organizations. The U.N. has to put forward all of its sensitivity about this issue.'' Noting that many countries share this sensitivity, Erdogan said that the U.S. and Britain should also show this sensitivity.
When asked if the credit to be sent from the U.S. to Turkey would be used or not, Erdogan said that ''we didn't ask for any credit demand from the U.S. in return of anything... Our country gives the decisions it will give upon its own will.''
When asked about the statement claimed to be told by German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, Erdogan said that such an issue was not taken up in the meeting with the Greek side. Erdogan noted that they heard that Fischer denied the news stories.
''We confirmed our common understanding to find a solution to Cyprus issue by negotiations and that we will support the activities of Annan to protect the interests of both societies,'' said Erdogan.
Reminding that a final declaration namely ''Belgrade Declaration'' was published at the end of the summit, Erdogan said that Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia-Montenegro and Romania attended this summit.
''The contributions of Turkey to the Balkans Cooperation Process are known. We continued our efforts to this end during this summit, too. Our common expectations and concerns were also included in the summit declaration. It is certain that the meeting has further made concrete the common regional strategy and approaches. We are pleased over the increase of the interest of European Atlantic institutions, Stability Pact, EU and NATO in this process,'' he said.
Erdogan noted that Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and himself did very beneficial bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the meeting in Belgrade, adding that they met with President and Prime Minister of Serbia-Montenegro before the summit and they said Turkey extended support to the democratization activities started in Serbia-Montenegro. Erdogan also stressed in the meeting that the bullet fired on Cincic was fired on democracy, and open society. Erdogan noted that they reached consensus on completing the signing of the agreements continuing between the two countries as soon as possible, adding that the relations carried out at good level in political field should also be reflected to economic field.
Erdogan noted that they also had bilateral contacts with the representatives of other participant countries.
Regarding his meeting with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, Erdogan said that ''we exchanged comprehensive and sincere views both about the bilateral issues and also about the Iraqi issue which concerns our region and the world. I believe that this meeting contributed to formation of friendship and trust between Simitis and me. We saw during our meeting that Turkey and Greece had the necessary political will and determination for solution of problems between Turkey and Greece and for moving together to the common future. We saw that our relations developed on the basis of common interests and a common basis of understanding. We explained the Greek side that our existing cooperation should continue both in economic and political field.''
Erdogan said that they also discussed Cyprus issue with Simitis, adding that Turkey and Greece had also certain obligations about finding a solution to the issue. Hoping the positive developments recorded between the two countries to be reflected to Cyprus issue, Erdogan said that ''we confirmed our common understanding to find a solution to negotiations and we confirmed that we would support the activities of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to protect the interests of both societies.''

(ÖS) 10.04.2003