Intervention in Sudan would be Second Iraq

In Ankara, where he was an official guest of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Ismail answered Zaman’s questions yesterday, warned the US, and explained the situation in the Darfur region.

The Minister began, "First, we do not need foreign troops in our land. Second, any military forces that come to Darfur will be seen as an invasion force, like the one in Iraq. Our people fight against those forces. This will cause terror in the region."

Ismail said that the approaching peace talks in Nairobi would produce signatures.

The incidents in Darfur, said Ismail, were actually part of a war between nomadic and agrarian people.

"Nomadic people, who immigrated to the southern part of Sudan due to a drought, clashed with the people who are involved in agriculture. Separatists, who leaked through borders, used this as an opportunity to establish an independent state there. Our army took action against this. However, people had already formed armed militias in order to protect themselves. We are now trying to make these militias go back to normal life again."

Claiming that western countries did not help and only made things worse, the guest minister said:

"The West makes things harder in the region with its extreme attitude. We try to provide peace between the tribes. We take the initiative to pay indemnity to those who have damages. The US’ reaction makes things difficult for us. American politicians have taken unbalanced decisions in order to receive votes from Africans. The US Department of State announced that there was no genocide in the region. Hundreds of observers from African Union say there is no genocide as well."

Stating they, as part of the Islamic world, wanted to benefit from Turkey’s democratic experience, the Sudanese minister said that he saw a Turkish person, selected to the Presidency of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), as an advantage to Sudan.

Noting that Turkey was fresh blood in the Islamic world, Ismail continued:

"We believe that the adaptation studies between the West and Islamic world will be the most important issue of the next term. Turkey is one of the rare countries that can provide ‘harmony of civilizations’. We trust in Turkey on that matter."

Saying they always supported Turks for Cyprus issue, Ismail added,

"The Islamic world should support Cyprus more clearly so that the Cypriot-Greek side can work for a fair peace."

Minister Ismail said that he expected an invitation from Prime Minister M. Ali Talat to visit Cyprus.

Noting historical ties between Turkey and Sudan, Mustafa Osman Ismail stated that he wanted to improve commercial relations.

"We would like the door to open between Africa and Turkey."

Ismail reminded Turkish investors that they could address a market of 400 million people via the African Economic Cooperation.