Babacan said that none of the countries should aim to arm the opposition in Syria and the real problem in Iraq stemmed from Baghdad, not regional Kurdish administration.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan gave a conference Friday at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Boston.
Babacan made a speech on Turkey's foreign policy and the situation in the region as well as touching on latest developments economy in Turkey and the world. Babacan said that none of the countries should aim to arm the opposition in Syria.
Turkey does not have such an aim, added Babacan who spoke at a conference in Boston on Friday.
Turkey fully supports political efforts and is against an external intervention in Syria, said Babacan.
An opposition should only be shaped as a political effort in Syria, said Babacan, adding that a legitimate opposition would be important as it would present an alternative to the existing regime.
Noting that Annan plan opened a a window of opportunity, Babacan said that the plan should immediately be implemented, and international community should support the plan.
Also, the plan should include a timetable and a deadline, said Babacan, expressing pleasure over the support of Syrian opposition to the plan.
Babacan also said that Turkey would not attend the meetings which would be chaired by Greek Cypriot administration in the EU.
As Turkey does not recognize Greek Cypriot administration as a country, it will not attend the political meetings which will be chaired by the administration in the EU, said Babacan who spoke at a conference in Boston on Friday.
Greek Cypriot administration will undertake the rotating presidency of the EU in the second half of 2012.
However, we will pursue our cooperation with the EU institutions on technical level, Babacan said.
We will suspend our interaction on political level only for six months, he added.
Problem in Iraq stems from Baghdad
Babacan said that the real problem in Iraq stemmed from Baghdad, not regional Kurdish administration.
A representative and legitimate parliament appeared in Iraq after the elections, but the representation in the parliament was not reflected on governmental level, said Babacan, adding that Iraqi prime minister appointed Shiites to key ministries and military missions.
This situation escalated sectarian tension, said Babacan.
Babacan noted that Turkey supported Iraq's territorial integrity and unity.
Recently Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said "Turkey was becoming an enemy state in the region in a sign of growing tensions between Turkey and Iraq" and "Turkey had started to intervene in Iraqi internal affairs".
In return, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned against the latest situation in Iraq and signaled a troubling trend in the war-torn country under the current prime minister. Erdogan blamed al-Maliki for excluding Sunnis from power structures.
Premier Erdogan said the behaviors of al-Maliki to his coalition partners and his egoist and challenging approaches to the structuring in Iraq were making Shiite groups, Masoud Barzani and Al-Iraqiya group uneasy.
On April 24, Charge d'affaires with the Iraqi Embassy in Ankara was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry headquarters over the remarks by Iraqi prime minister.
Iraqi diplomat was summoned to convey Turkey's "strong rejection" of statements made by al-Maliki.
Babacan: Turkey not to attend meetings to be chaired by Greek Cypriots in the EU
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said that Turkey would not attend the meetings which would be chaired by Greek Cypriot administration in the EU.
As Turkey does not recognize Greek Cypriot administration as a country, it will not attend the political meetings which will be chaired by the administration in the EU, said Babacan who spoke at a conference in Boston on Friday.
Greek Cypriot administration will undertake the rotating presidency of the EU in the second half of 2012.
However, we will pursue our cooperation with the EU institutions on technical level, Babacan said.
We will suspend our interaction on political level only for six months, he added.
Prior to the conference, Babacan also met with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.
The Turkish deputy premier is scheduled to meet with US investors on Saturday.
Babacan will wrap up his visit to the United States and return to Turkey on Sunday.
AA
