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29 January 2004
Powell, Gul Discuss Cyprus, Iraq, Syria, Terrorism, Middle East
Jan. 29: Powell, Turkish Foreign Minister's remarks after their meeting
Cyprus, Iraq, Syria, and the latest suicide bombing in Jerusalem were the main topics when Secretary of State Colin Powell and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul briefed journalists and took questions after their meeting at the State Department January 29.
In his opening remarks, Powell said he had thanked Gul for the steps he and the Turkish Government have taken "to align their efforts with those of [U.N. Secretary General] Kofi Annan and the Annan plan" for resolving the Cyprus problem.
"I pledged to the Minister that the United States would make every effort to assist with this work and that I would get personally involved, as necessary, to work with the Secretary General and the parties to see if we cannot solve this longstanding and most difficult problem," Powell said.
On the subject of Iraq, Powell said he told Gul that U.S. policy "is to ensure that Iraq maintains itself as a single country, a single entity, with all the resources of the nation, the natural resources of the nation, in the hands of the central government."
Under questioning he said the coalition is "looking for an appropriate model for the basic administrative law, the fundamental law, as it's called, and how representation will be done so that we can satisfy all of the interests that exist, the interest of the Kurds to have some degree of autonomy, but recognizing that they are part of a country, and that country has to have central authority in the capital."
"It'll take time, but we are trying to make sure that we take into account the interests of all the parties, and especially the interest of the Turks," he added.
Asked about the suicide bombing earlier in the day in Jerusalem, Powell said he and Gul condemn it thoroughly. "Once again, terrorists have killed innocent people, and at the same time they have struck a blow once more against the aspirations of the Palestinian people to have a homeland of their own," he said.
While the roadmap to peace is "still there," he added, "the longer time goes by without progress because we can't get it going, the parties can't get moving because of this terrorist activity, the more difficult it will be to achieve the goals laid out in the roadmap with respect to a timetable."
Regarding Syria, Powell said he has not "seen enough action" on the steps he suggested Syria take last summer.
"I hope that Syria will reflect on its position, and start to take action to eject from Damascus the leaders of terrorist groups that make it hard for us to find a way forward between the Palestinians and Israelis. And I hope Syria will look at all of the other things we asked it to reflect upon, to include possession of weapons of mass destruction, and ... any participation in the shipment of weapons from anywhere through Syria to Palestinian terrorists is to be condemned.
"Syria cannot be serious about wanting a better relationship with Israel, the United States or anyone else, as long as it serves as any kind of a transshipment point for weapons that are going to terrorists of the kind who killed innocent people this morning in Jerusalem," the Secretary of State said.
Following is the State Department transcript:
(begin transcript)
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C.
SECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL REMARKS WITH TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULLAH GUL AFTER THEIR MEETING
C Street Entrance
Washington, DC
January 29, 2004
(10:05 a.m. EST)
SECRETARY POWELL: Good morning, everyone. I just had a good conversation with my colleague, Foreign Minister Gul. As you know, the Minister is here with Prime Minister Erdogan, who had excellent discussions yesterday with President Bush. We thanked Turkey for all the support it has been providing to us in the global war against terror and its willingness to assist us in our efforts in Iraq, and we thanked Turkey for the important role it plays in the region as a model of a secular Muslim nation that follows the democratic path.
We had a long conversation on Cyprus. I expressed my thanks to the Minister and to the Turkish Government for some of the steps they have taken recently to align their efforts with those of Kofi Annan and the Annan plan. There is still much more work to be done, but there is a moment of opportunity here that we hope to seize and have referendums and resolve outstanding issues, and hopefully get it all done by the 1st of May.
I pledged to the Minister that the United States would make every effort to assist with this work and that I would get personally involved, as necessary, to work with the Secretary General and the parties to see if we can not solve this longstanding and most difficult problem.
We had a good discussion of the situation in the region, with Syria, Iran. I thanked the Minister for their support to our efforts in Afghanistan and the contributions they have made.
We also talked about Turkey's interest in the northern part of Iraq, and I conveyed to the Minister that our policy is to ensure that Iraq maintains itself as a single country, a single entity, with all the resources of the nation, the natural resources of the nation, in the hands of the central government, as one would expect.
I also told him that we understand the difficulties associated with the PKK and that we would be taking appropriate action to demonstrate that we share Turkey's concerns with respect to the activities of the PKK.
It was a good conversation, and I would invite my colleague to say a word or two.
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL: Thank you. In fact, yesterday our Prime Minister and my staff, we had a very excellent talk in White House. Now we continue.
As the Secretary summarized the issues, we talked on Cyprus, we talked on Iraq, then also in the greater Middle East. We have a common opinion on these issues, and we will continue to work together.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
SECRETARY POWELL: The loudest.
QUESTION: Foreign Minister Gul, and Mr. Secretary as well. After your conversations with the Administration, are you reassured on the desires for Kurdish autonomy? Does Turkey still have concerns about that?
And, Mr. Secretary, is there any role the U.S. needs to continue to play to mediate the concerns of Turkey with the desires of the Kurds?
Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL: Well, we have a current understanding on the territorial integrity of Iraq, political unity of Iraq, and all the natural resources will belong to all the Iraqi people. These are the main issues, I think, the principles. We agreed on this, yes.
SECRETARY POWELL: We reaffirmed -
QUESTION: Thank you.
SECRETARY POWELL: We had a good discussion. I reaffirmed to the Minister that we fully support the territorial integrity of Iraq. Serious conversations are taking place between and within the Governing Council, and between the Governing Council as a whole and leaders in the Kurdish areas. Ambassador Bremer is a part of those conversations, as are we back here, and keeping in touch with our Turkish friends.
And we're looking for an appropriate model for the basic administrative law, the fundamental law, as it's called, and how representation will be done so that we can satisfy all of the interests that exist, the interest of the Kurds to have some degree of autonomy, but recognizing that they are part of a country, and that country has to have central authority in the capital.
And so we are working this all out. It'll take time, but we are trying to make sure that we take into account the interests of all the parties, and especially the interest of the Turks.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
SECRETARY POWELL: Let me -- the Turkish gentleman.
QUESTION: I'm Greek.
SECRETARY POWELL: You're Greek? Okay. Let me -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
SECRETARY POWELL: I'll be right with you. No offense intended. No -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
SECRETARY POWELL: Yes.
QUESTION: What will be your role in the Cyprus issue? Are you the mediator or a -
SECRETARY POWELL: No, no. Kofi Annan has put forward a plan. I think it's a good plan, and both sides are now responding to the Secretary General's request for their position on those plans. Prime Minister Erdogan made an important statement this last weekend.
And the United States is supporting both sides. We have not become the mediator or the inter -- mid -- you know, interlocutor in all of this. But I think -
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL: Would be a facilitator?
SECRETARY POWELL: I think -
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL: Maybe facilitator?
SECRETARY POWELL: (Laughter.) Well, the Minister likes the word "facilitator." I would -- I'll say that we stand ready to use our good offices to help all the parties move forward. But it is the Secretary General's plan that we believe is the operative plan and the manner in which we move forward.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
SECRETARY POWELL: The Greek. The Greek.
QUESTION: Thank you, from Greece. My question is you're happy, you're satisfied by the position taken by Mr. Gul and Mr. Erdogan. What about the Greek side? Are you putting pressure on the Greek side? Mr. Papandreou today made a statement saying that Greece has been forthcoming up to now, and it's -- some people feel it's unfair to put the pressure on the Greek side.
SECRETARY POWELL: We are in touch with both sides, and I expect to talk to Secretary General Annan in a few hours. He has been talking to, I think, President Papadopoulos and others, and I, of course, will be talking to my Greek colleagues as well.
I think it's time for all of us to put pressure on all sides to get a resolution to this -- to this difficult situation. It's gone on for so long, and I think we're getting close to a solution. So to the extent that we can assist the Secretary General in his efforts and assist all the sides in coming together on the basis of the Secretary General's plan, then we will do so.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, the horrific suicide bombing in Jerusalem today, your reaction to that?
And, sir, the roadmap appears to be not really going forward right now. Do you still believe that the respective deadlines associated with the roadmap will still take place? Do you think those deadlines will still be met?
SECRETARY POWELL: Yeah, I've got it.
The Minister and I reflected on the horrendous attack that took place in Jerusalem this morning, and we condemn it thoroughly. Once again, terrorists have killed innocent people, and at the same time they have struck a blow once more against the aspirations of the Palestinian people to have a homeland of their own.
This kind of action has got to stop, and I once again implore the Palestinian leaders, and especially Prime Minister Abu Alaa, to do everything in his power, everything in their power, to ostracize these terrorists, to go after them, and to deal with this terrorist activity. Because as long as it continues, the hopes of both peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, for peace will constantly be dashed. And so I condemn the action of these terrorist organizations and these horrible people who would do this on a civilian bus in the middle of the day.
With respect to the roadmap, the roadmap is still there. The longer time goes by without progress because we can't get it going, the parties can't get moving because of this terrorist activity, the more difficult it will be to achieve the goals laid out in the roadmap with respect to a timetable. It's time to end the terror, and the Palestinian leadership has to realize this and face it, and I am hopeful that they will come to that realization. And I'm confident if we can get moving, the Israelis will be forthcoming with many of the ideas that we have presented to them, and they have agreed to and are reflected in the roadmap.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
SECRETARY POWELL: The gentleman -
QUESTION: Okay. To Mr. Gul, in this process, did you accept the Annan plan, up to this point?
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL: Well, I mean, we are going to take it as a reference. So we will work on it and we will -- the negotiation will start, and Annan plan will be the reference.
SECRETARY POWELL: One more. Young lady in the brown jacket.
QUESTION: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, and for the Foreign Minister, on Syria. The Foreign Minister has been bringing -- and the Prime Minister are bringing some messages from Syria about their desire for peace with Israel, better relations with the U.S.
Could you expand on this, Mr. Foreign Minister?
And, Mr. Secretary, what do you think of these initiatives, especially in light of some information that Syria might still be receiving some weapon shipments for -- from Iran for the Hezbollah?
Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL: Well, the Syrians, they want to have peace also with Israel. They think that this peace process should be comprehensive, and it should include Syria, Lebanon. We should work on this.
SECRETARY POWELL: The Minister did raise the issue of Syria. I pointed out to him that we have a new ambassador, who has gone in and is available to dialogue with Syrian authorities.
Last summer, in my meetings with the President of Syria, I laid out some steps that I think -- I thought at that time, and still think -- Syria ought to take, in order to change its relationship with the United States and with its neighbors in the region. I haven't seen enough action on those steps.
I hope that Syria will reflect on its position, and start to take action to eject from Damascus the leaders of terrorist groups that make it hard for us to find a way forward between the Palestinians and Israelis. And I hope Syria will look at all of the other things we asked it to reflect upon, to include possession of weapons of mass destruction, and as was pointed out in the question, any participation in the shipment of weapons from anywhere through Syria to Palestinian terrorists is to be condemned.
And Syria cannot be serious about wanting a better relationship with Israel, the United States or anyone else, as long as it serves as any kind of a transshipment point for weapons that are going to terrorists of the kind who killed innocent people this morning in Jerusalem.
Thank you.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
