Foreign Minister Gul Leaves For Riyadh

”Turkey will think on those” Gul said noting that Turkey was ready to make every kind of contribution to Iraq’s economic and political rebuilding.

Gul said the government would evaluate when concrete requests come, stating that they would evaluate how the costs would be met.

Gul said, ”you know Turkey provided security and control in Afghanistan for a long time. Those are issues which should be worked on.”

DIRECT OR INDIRECT SUGGESTION OF THE UNITED STATES IN POSTPONEMENT OF MY VISIT TO DAMASCUS IS OUT OF QUESTION

Gul said that his visit to Syria was not cancelled, but postponed, stating that any open or direct suggestion of the United States was out of question in this postponement.

Gul said he would have the opportunity to meet with Syrian Foreign Minister within the scope of the meeting, recalling that he had to postpone his visit to Damascus upon the important developments on northern Iraq.

Gul said they had to work till late hours upon the extraordinary news coming from Kirkuk and Mosul in those days, and noted that, ”any open or indirect suggestion of the United States or U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is out of question. Gul pointed out that they did not cancel put postpone the visit.”

Gul said meeting in Riyadh was an enlarged version of the meeting, which had taken place in Istanbul earlier among the countries who are neighbors of Iraq. He said the meeting had taken place before the war. Gul also said they would discuss rebuilding of Iraq, and installation of stability in the region.

Gul said it would be more easier if rebuilding of Iraq takes place under the umbrella of the U.N., noting that chaos atmosphere in the country should not continue.

When asked whether or not there would be a need for a motion in case requirement appears to send soldiers to Iraq, Gul said, ”it will be evaluated when cost of it is clarified. We will do what is required by the constitution and laws.”

Gul said, ”however, we earlier announced that we are ready to contribute to rebuilding of Iraq and the region, and to contribute in principle to settlement of stability.”