IRAN TURKEY CLASHED ON THE ISSUE OF AFGHANISTAN
ANKARA 6 Nov. (IPS) Turkish Foreign Minister Isma’il Cem rejected Tuesday in Ankara remarks by his Iranian counterpart Kamal KharaziTuesday, criticising Turkey's decision to send troops to war-torn Afghanistan, assuring that Ankara’s "sole aim was to help Afghan people get rid of terrorists".
On demands from the United States, Turkey announced last weekend it would sent a sample force of 90 specialised military personnel to Afghanistan, probably for training the anti-Taleban Northern Alliance soldiers, thus becoming the first Muslim, but staunchly secular nation, to shoulder on the spot the American-led war against terrorism in Afghanistan.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Mr. Kharrazi criticised Turkey for sending troops inside Afghanistan, saying that the Afghanistan problem should be resolved by the Afghan people themselves".
"The intervention of foreign powers in Afghanistan will only aggravate the problem", he added.
But Mr.Cem replied that Turkish troops would not go in Afghanistan as an offensive force. "On the contrary, they would help the Afghan nation".
Turkey, which is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has also put its airspace and airports at US disposal in the air strikes against the ruling Taleban orthodox Muslims, which has given shelter to Saudi dissident Osama Ben Laden, the prime suspect of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
The Iranian Foreign Minister had gone to Turkey on Monday evening for both trying to stop Ankara sending forces in Afghanistan and to convey to the Americans that they should stop bombing Afghanistan during the holy month of Ramazan, the Muslim fasting month.
"The Islamic Republic never accepts attack on a Muslim state", Kharrazi said, reminding his hosts that members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in their last meeting had unanimously condemned attack on a Muslim state under the pretext of terrorism.
He said Iran's ultimate goal in Afghanistan is to bring to power a broad-based government comprising of all ethnic groups.
But Turkish press had speculated that he would not be heard on the first issue and would go back to Tehran "empty hands".
"Anti-terrorism campaign for Iran and Turkey, as two nations that have been victims of terrorist attacks, is important", Cem added.
Sources said the Turkish side raised again both questions of the presence in Iranian side of the borders with Turkey and Iraq of the Turkish separatists Kurdish Workers Party PKK, and the support Tehran provides for Turkish outlawed islamist parties, accusations that Iran rejects vehemently.
The two ministers also announced that Turkey would start buying natural gas from Iran from the beginning of next year, but informed sources in Ankara doubted Washington would agree with the 20 US Dollars worth project that Turkey has so far not honoured, because of American pressures.
The project was to start last July, but on pretext of irregularities with Iranian-installed metering machines, Ankara refused to comply with the agreement signed two years ago. ENDS IRAN TURKEY 61101