ANKARA - Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Friday that Turkish liaison teams, which were sent to the region to observe withdrawal of Kurdish forces from Mosul and Kirkuk, met with U.S. forces.
Dirioz replied questions regarding recent developments in Iraq in a press conference.
Upon a question where liaison teams were at the moment, Dirioz said, ''liaison teams met with U.S. forces in the region and they moved to their mission zone.''
DIRIOZ: ''IF NEWS STORIES CLAIMING THAT 50 PEOPLE WERE SHOT BY KURDISH FORCES IN KIRKUK ARE CONFIRMED, TALABANI WILL BE ASKED TO PUNISH THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT''
When asked whether or not Turkey would recognize new administration to be formed in Iraq, Dirioz said, ''it is an issue which will be evaluated under the light of developments.''
Asked how Turkey evaluated a government to be formed under the leadership of Ahmet Celebi, Dirioz said that the important thing was the view of Iraqi people.
Referring to meeting of Iraqi opposition groups, which is planned to be held under the chairmanship of U.S. President George W. Bush's Adviser for Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, Dirioz said that date of the meeting was not clear yet and highlighted importance of bringing together some leading Iraqi people.
Upon another question, Dirioz said that Iraqi Embassy in Ankara was still open and stated that reopening of Turkish Embassy in Baghdad depended on ''course of operation and situation of security.''
(GC-EÖ-UK) 11.04.2003