ATAA Supports Disarming of Iraq
President Kilic:"Turkish Parliament should take the necessary measures
to make sure that the fifty-year alliance with US is not damaged"
ATAA President Ercument Kilic released the following press statement to underline ATAA's continuing support for the US policy to disarm Iraq and urged the Turkish Parliament to take the necessary measures in that regard. Here is the full-text of Mr. Kilic's statement:

The Assembly of Turkish American Associations would like to express its full support to the United States in its mission to disarm Iraq. We strongly believe that this step is essential in the campaign against terrorism. Cooperation between Tur-key and the U.S. in the war against Iraq is of crucial importance. We believe that the Turkish Parliament should take the necessary measures to make sure that the fifty-year alliance with the U.S. is not damaged. Turkey as a strategic partner of the U.S. is a key ally in the fight against terrorism. As you all know Turkish Parliament has rejected a resolution to allow the deployment of US troops in Turkey. This was a serious decision that required parliamentary approval in line with the Turkish Constitution. This was a result of healthy democracy of Turkey and public opinion, and should be respected as such. Despite the fact the Turkish Parliament turned down the resolution to use its territory to launch an invasion of Iraq from the north, we are certain that Turkey will do what is in her capacity to cooperate with the U.S. in the days ahead, as demonstrated with the recent Turkish decision to open Turkish airspace to U.S. troops. Such a critical decision by the Turkish Parliament, with no monetary incentive involved, allowed the U.S. to transport the 173rd brigade to Northern Iraq to open another front.

We sadly witnessed the wrong interpretations in the American media of the negotiations between the U.S. and Turkey to find a common base to act together in a possible war against Iraq. Turkey certainly does not want to lose its closest ally, and neither do we as Turkish Americans. As Turkish Americans we feel that Turkey's sacrifice during the first Gulf War that has cost it billions of dollars each year and its pivotal cooperation against terrorism with the U.S. has been under appreciated. We hope that the level of cooperation in the war against Iraq will now and once again demonstrate that Turkey and the U.S. are and will be reliable allies to each other.

Once again we would like to stress that the Turkish American community is a strong supporter of the friendship, partnership and alliance between the United States and Turkey and our U.S. troops. We hope that the crisis will bring the U.S. and Turkey even closer and we believe that Turkey will continue to stand with the U.S.

Sincerely,

Ercument Kilic
ATAA President