Turkey favours sharing of 'evidence' with Taliban

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 7. Turkey favours the idea of sharing the evidence about the alleged involvement of Osama and his associates in the September 11 attacks on American cities with the Taliban, provided the militia is inclined to receive such information.

The Turkish Minister of State, Mr. Sukru Sina Gurel, told a news conference here after his meeting with the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, here that his Government would work in close cooperation with the Pakistan Government and was prepared to share any difficulty faced by it in dealing with the situation arising out of the September 11 attacks.

The decision of the Turkish Government, which is part of NATO, to send a special representative to Islamabad at this critical juncture is seen as a significant development in diplomatic circles.

Relations between Turkey and Pakistan have been strained for some time now and the decision of the Turkish Government to offer its full-fledged cooperation to Islamabad to overcome any difficulties that may arise in tackling the emerging situation marks the revival of bilateral ties in a big way.

``We will be in close cooperation with the Pakistan Government to overcome any kind of difficulty that may arise,'' Mr. Gurel who is here as a special envoy of the Turkish Prime Minister announced.

Mr. Gurel delivered a letter from the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr. Bulent Ecevit, to Gen. Musharraf conveying his solidarity and cooperation. He described his discussion with the President and the Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, as fruitful.

``Pakistan and Turkey look at the present situation with the same angle. We also feel that the terrorism should not be identified with any religion or region,'' he said and called for a ``long- term struggle against terrorism all over the world''.

Regarding the possible effects of what would happen next, he said that ``we think that the criminals responsible for the September 11 terror attacks and not the Afghan people should be found and punished.

The two countries, he said, had agreed that ``in future, a broad- based government encompassing all ethnic composition should be formed in Afghanistan''. He also called upon the international community to extend all possible help for the well being of the Afghan people.

The Turkish Minister said that like other governments of the world it had gone through the evidence (against Osama). ``We found the evidence satisfied.''

Mr. Gurel agreed to an idea of sharing evidence with the Taliban Government ``if it was willing to receive such information''.

``The Taliban has several contacts in the region and it can have any information it asks through these channels,'' Mr. Gurel said. He, however, denied Turkey having any contact with the Taliban.

Asked about the nature of Turkish support to Pakistan, he said, ``we are not at a stage to discuss about this but whenever any difficulties arouse, we would evaluate them in the most brotherly manner''.

To a question, he said, Turkey essentially felt that the international community and organisations should share the problems of refugees and internally-displaced people. The struggle against terrorism was being undertaken by the international community as a cause and therefore, ``spill-over effects should be shared by them.''

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Section  : International
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