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Turkey to appoint special humanitarian envoy to Iraq
Istanbul, Sept 17: Turkey is to appoint a special envoy to Iraq to coordinate humanitarian action and policy, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul announced today.
Istanbul, Sept 17: Turkey is to appoint a special envoy to Iraq to coordinate humanitarian action and policy, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul announced today.
"The war in Iraq is over and we are in a period of normalisation from now on," Gul told a news conference, without giving the name of the envoy.
He said that plans to make the appointment had been drawn up before the war, and that the envoy would have a role largely dedicated to humanitarian aid.
"The mission of our ambassador in Baghdad will continue as normal," Gul said. "The United Nations asked all countries to provide humanitarian aid to Iraq after the war and Turkey has made its resources available to this end." Asked about a US request for Turkish troops to be sent to Iraq as part of a UN-backed multinational force Gul replied this was the subject of serious consideration from a "strategic" point of view.
Turkey could send up to 10,000 troops to help stabilise Iraq as part of the US-led coalition but the government is leaving any decision to the Parliament which does not reassemble after its summer break until October 1.
Before the war it refused to contribute Turkish troops to the US and British-led attack and denied permission for US forces to transit through Turkey.
Bureau Report
He said that plans to make the appointment had been drawn up before the war, and that the envoy would have a role largely dedicated to humanitarian aid.
"The mission of our ambassador in Baghdad will continue as normal," Gul said. "The United Nations asked all countries to provide humanitarian aid to Iraq after the war and Turkey has made its resources available to this end." Asked about a US request for Turkish troops to be sent to Iraq as part of a UN-backed multinational force Gul replied this was the subject of serious consideration from a "strategic" point of view.
Turkey could send up to 10,000 troops to help stabilise Iraq as part of the US-led coalition but the government is leaving any decision to the Parliament which does not reassemble after its summer break until October 1.
Before the war it refused to contribute Turkish troops to the US and British-led attack and denied permission for US forces to transit through Turkey.
Bureau Report