Iranian president: Terrorist can’t attack Turkey via Iran

Diplomatic sources said that Khatami, who made some commitments to Gul about security issue, gave the guarantee that enemies of Turkey in terrorism and other fields would not launch activities against Turkey by using Iranian lands.

Expressing his sorrow over the terrorist attacks in Istanbul, Khatami said that they were proud of Turkey’s determination in fight against terrorism.

Noting that they were also giving full support to this fight, Khatami called Turkey to make cooperation together and eliminate those who committed crime against humanity.

Khatami stressed that they were ready for cooperation with Turkey in every field.

In his meeting with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned the Iranian side not to be deceived by the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK’s games of changing its name. Khatami didn’t give definite guarantee about taking the organization into the list of terrorist organizations and said that they would take up the issue within the scope of security cooperation. The Turkish side was expecting Iran to take more definite and concrete steps about this issue.

Regarding the Iraqi issue, Khatami gave the message that the disturbance of Iraqi territorial integrity would be worrying and it would not be good for regional countries. Khatami warned that in case of a dissolution process in Iraq on basis of ethnic and religious sects, this would cause division.

Stressing that the region was at a critical stage, Khatami said that Turkey played a very correct and constructive role regarding Iraqi issue, showing Ankara’s starting meetings among Iraq’s neighbouring countries as an example to this role.

Khatami also commented that the coalition powers supposed that problems were sorted out in Iraq as Saddam was caught, but the situation didn’t change, calling the U.S. and Britain to withdraw from Iraq and calling for foundation of a government that would get the support of the Iraqi people.

Khatami said that the political relations between Turkey and Iran were strong, adding that the economic relations should also be strengthened.

Iranian President Khatami also said that he expected President Sezer to come to Iran for D-8 summit that would be held next month and added that he also wanted to visit Turkey.