Pamir: Turkey not to be occupier in Iraq

Pamir visited U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to give information after the parliament authorized the government to send soldiers to Iraq.

A statement was issued about Pamir’s meeting with Annan.

The statement quoted Pamir as saying that "for how long and where Turkish soldiers would be deployed would be taken up in talks to be held with the United States" and that then a decision on those two issues would be made.

According to the statement, Pamir emphasized that "Turkish soldiers would not be occupiers in Iraq."

The statement said, "Pamir explained the philosophy which shapes up our main principles and decisions when the government asked the parliament to grant authorization."

Pamir underlined, "Turkish soldiers will not be contented with only ensuring security in the region under its own command but they will also contribute to rehabilitation of daily life of Iraqi people and reconstruction of Iraq."

"Turkey is a country which has been affected the most from the ongoing instability in its region for years and therefore, aims to help in normalization process in Iraq being aware of its duties as a neighbor of Iraq. And, Turkey doesn’t have any secret agenda," Pamir stated.

Pamir said, "the statements made by the members of the Iraqi Interim Governing Council will not affect policy of Turkey which regards permanent benefits of Iraqi people. Turkey has defended sovereignty and independence of Iraq and doesn’t make any discrimination among ethnic and religious elements forming Iraq."

Turkey’s Permanent Representative to U.N. Pamir recalled that issues related with security were being taken up between Turkey and the United States in the direction of provisions of the U.N. Security Council Resolution No 1483.