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Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Thursday that there would be observers from the Turkish armed forces in Mosul and Kirkuk, two key cities in northern Iraq, Anatolia News Agency reported.
Gul told private NTV channel that US Secretary of State Colin Powell told him that Kurdish groups who entered Kirkuk would be taken out.
Immediately after confirming that some small Kurdish groups entered Kirkuk, he spoke to Powell, Gul said, adding he reminded Powell guarantees that the United States gave to Turkey, and Powell reiterated that the guarantees were still valid.
Gul quoted Powell as saying that the US 173rd air force would enter the region. "We are closely following the developments. There will be observers from the armed forces," Gul added.
Asked when the military observers would start mission, Gul said, "We will follow the developments that a de facto situation is not created in the mentioned place."
When he was reminded that the entry of Kurdish groups into Mosuland Kirkuk was a part of "red lines" announced by Turkey for many times, Gul said that he took up those issues with Powell.
Gul said that the United States stated it would fulfill its responsibilities.
"Everybody knows our views and we have not given up our views. We will cooperate with the United States if necessary. I hope that this mistake will be corrected immediately," Gul said.
Turkey has cautioned the United States that if Iraqi Kurdish militants enter oil-rich cities of Kirkuk and Mosul, Turkey would send troops to intervene.
During his visit to Turkey on April 2, Powell assured Gul that the United States would not allow the Kurds to enter the two cities.
Turkish Chief of the General Staff Hilmi Ozkok also had a meeting with Powell, where Ozkok warned that if Washington goes back on its words, Turkey would make its own decision to send troops in northern Iraq.
Turkey fears that if the Iraqi Kurds control oil resources in Kirkuk, they would be boosted with a huge amount of petrol dollars to seek independence in northern Iraq and then destabilize Turkey.
(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2003)
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