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US Calls for Control of Border Trade with Iraq
The border trade with Iraq should be brought under control, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Edward Walker said Thursday.
"It is necessary to provide an active control on financial flow of trade to prevent Iraq from using it to develop weapons of mass destruction and make weapon trade," Walker said at the end of a two-day visit in Ankara.
He acknowledged the significance of the border trade between each of Syria, Jordan and Turkey and Iraq, but he said that the trade "should be made carefully."
This issue has been discussed in detail with Turkish officials during his visit, Walker said, adding that experts will try to work out measures to decrease negative impacts on Turkish economy.
Walker said that he exchanged views with the Turkish officials on the Iraq issue and insisted on maintaining the economic sanctions, imposed by the United Nations Security Council on Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
Turkey has said that it has suffered serious economic losses from the 10-year crippling sanctions on Iraq and has been trying to improve economic ties with Iraq.
Turkish Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Thursday that Turkey "believes that the sanctions on Iraq have been damaging the Iraqi people. Therefore they should be reassessed."
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