Gul: Turkey Does Not Have Any Intention In Iraq’s Territorial Integrity

Gul responded to the questions of reporters.
Recalling that Turkey had to accept 500,000 people within its borders during the first Gulf War, Gul said, ”Turkey had interested in this very big population for a long time. So, it does not want to experience this sorrowful experience once again. The second point is very clear. A vacuum was formed in northern Iraq and that vacuum became practically a camp for terrorist activity. This time, we do not want such a vacuum. Turkey has no designs whatsoever on Iraq’s territory.”
Responding to a question what for Turkey opened the airspace, Gul said Turkey was not after bargaining, and its political targets were clear.
When a journalist reminded Gul the statements of National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul that entrance of Turkish soldiers in Northern Iraq was still negotiated, Gul said, ”what we say from the very beginning is that Turkey is in Northern Iraq. Turkey has no designs on Iraq’s territorial integrity. Turkey will take measures in line with the two goals I stated just now.”
Responding to a question what were the disagreements with the United States, Gul said, ”don’t consider everything from the negative side. Those are difficult issues. However, all the difficulties have been overcome. Thus, there is not any problem between Turkey and the United States at the moment.”
When a journalist recalled the statement of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that he was against entrance of Turkish soldiers in Northern Iraq, Gul said, ”all of them have been solved. Turkish soldiers will go. Turkey’s policy about Iraq is that: Preservation of Iraq’s territorial integrity, equal usage of Iraq’s resources by all Iraqi people, and that main elements of Iraq are Arabs, Turkmens and Kurds.”
Gul said he met with foreign ministers of Lithuania, Britain, Greece, Germany, and France, French President Jacques Chirac, the EU High Commissioner for Common Foreign Policy and Defense Javier Solana, Romanian President and Bulgarian Prime Minister during his contacts in Brussels.
Gul said Iraq was the main topic of discussion during the talks, stating that, ”today, everybody wanted to learn about Turkey’s views and experiences regarded with developments in Iraq.”
Stating that the interlocutors in the EU have some concerns about Turkey’s policy on Northern Iraq, Gul said during the talks he defended that Turkey favored Iraq’s territorial integrity, and also defended that Iraq’s resources should equally be used by the whole Iraqi people.