Turkey’s President Gul: Iran’s ultimate aspiration is to acquire nuclear weapons

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Propaganda Alert

compiled by Cem Ertür
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
29 March 2010



1)  President Gul: Iran’s ultimate aspiration is to acquire nuclear weapons (26 March 2010)

from the archives:

2)  President Gul: Tehran shouldn’t be devastated like Baghdad (August 2008)
3)  Foreign Minister Gul: The possibility of Iran’s having nuclear weapon will disturb Turkey (June 2006)
4)  Foreign Minister Gul: We will act together with the US where Iran’s nuclear program is concerned (March 2006)
5)  General Basbug: Turkey can never welcome an Iran who possesses nuclear weapons (June 2005)

related documents:

6)  European mayors want withdrawal of US nukes from their territory (December 2007)
7)  Text for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968)

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excerpt from: Turkey Tilts Toward Iran

[Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul’s interview with the Forbes Magazine]  [1]

When [the US President Barack] Obama last year extended a hand to Iran’s rulers, [Turkey’s President Abdullah] Gul says he advised Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that “This needs to be reciprocated … This is a major opportunity, and the language of President Obama doesn’t have any threats within it, and this is an opportunity that should not be missed.” […]

Gul says he has no doubts that Iran wants the nuclear bomb: “This is an Iranian aspiration dating back to the previous regime, the days of the Shah.”

For Iran’s current regime, says Gul, “I do believe it is their final aspiration to have a nuclear weapon in the end,” as a matter of “ ‘national pride.’ ” […]

But Gul says not to worry. He is sure that even if Iran gets the bomb, “they will not use it.”

He says he has warned Iran’s leaders that the real danger they face, should they acquire nuclear weapons, is that they “will start acting in an irrational manner, which will create problems for themselves.”  […]

But Gul says Israel need not worry. However irrational Iran’s leaders might become, he is sure they will remain rational enough to refrain from devastating Israel […]

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from the archives:

“We find the latest package offered [to Iran] by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany positive. […] The time is running out, don’t miss this opportunity. Bush might strike [Iran] before leaving office. If the US were to strike, they would strike fiercely. As your neighbour, we wouldn’t want Tehran to be devastated like Baghdad.”

[Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul, meeting with Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Ciragan Palace, Istanbul, 14 August 2008]  [2]

“[T]he possibility of Iran’s having nuclear weapon will disturb international community as well as Turkey.”

[Turkey’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, written response to a parliamentary question by the Motherland Party (ANAP) deputy Muhsin Kocyigit, 16 June 2006]  [3]

“We will act together with the United States within the framework of the Greater Middle East Project where Iran’s nuclear program is concerned.”

[Turkey’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, “Turkey’s EU process and Turkey’s foreign policy” briefing for the parliamentarians of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Kizilcahamam, Ankara, 12 March 2006]   [4]

“Like other countries and especially the United States, we have been following Iran’s nuclear efforts with serious concern. Turkey can never welcome an Iran who possesses nuclear weapons. The nuclear states axis starting from North Korea, passing through Iran and extending to other possible powers in our region poses sensitivity on part of Turkey.”

[Turkey’s Deputy Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug, speech at the American-Turkish Council’s annual conference, Washington DC, 6 June 2005. On August 2008, General Basbug became the head of Turkey’s armed forces ] [5]

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related documents:

“While our public is regularly provided alarming media reports of nuclear dangers in Iraq, North Korea or Iran, what is supposed to be a well-informed western audience is living in ignorance of the destructive power of thousands of potential Hiroshimas stored in their backyards.”

[Mayors for Peace petition launched on 6 December 2007 by the European Mayors on whose territory US nuclear weapons are deployed, namely:

Vedat Karadag (Incirlik, TURKEY), Stefano Del Cont (Aviano, ITALY), Anna Giulia Guarneri (Ghedi, ITALY), Theo Kelchtermans (Peer, BELGIUM), Dr. Joke W. Kersten (Uden, NETHERLANDS), Heinz Onnertz (Buechel, GERMANY) ]  [6]

“Article II: Each non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the [Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons] Treaty undertakes not to receive the transfer from any transferor whatsoever of nuclear weapons […] ”

[text of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons signed by Turkey  in 1969]  [7]

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related links:


US official: Turkey has international responsibilities that extend beyond its immediate neighbourhood

by Cem Ertür, Dandelion Salad, 18 March 2010

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/us-official-turkey-has-international-responsibilities-that-extend-beyond-its-immediate-neighbourhood/


Israeli army chief visits Turkey to hold talks on Iran’s nuclear program

by Cem Ertür, Dandelion Salad, 16 March 2010

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/israeli-army-chief-visits-turkey-to-hold-talks-on-iran%E2%80%99s-nuclear-program/


NATO’s secret transatlantic bond: Nuclear weapons in Europe

by Rick Rozoff, Dandelion Salad, 3 December 2009

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/nato%E2%80%99s-secret-transatlantic-bond-nuclear-weapons-in-europe-by-rick-rozoff/

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notes:


[1] Turkey Tilts Toward Iran

by Claudia Rosett, Forbes Magazine, 26 March 2010

http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/25/turkey-iran-abdullah-gul-global-opinions-columnists-claudia-rosett_print.html


[2]  Tahran harab-ül Bagdat olmasin

by Ugur Ergan, Hurriyet, 17 August 2008

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/9680208.asp?m=1


[3] Government monitors developments on Iran’s nuclear program, Gul

Anadolu Agency, 16 June 2006


[4]  Gül: BOP icinde ABD ile birlikte hareket ediyoruz

by Nazif Iflazoglu, Radikal, 13 March 2006

http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=181295


[5]  Luncheon remarks by General Ilker Basbug, Deputy Chief of Turkish General Staff

by Ilker Basbug, Turkish General Staff website, 6 June 2005

http://www.tsk.tr/eng/konusma/gnkurIIncibsk_atckonusmasiogleyemegi_eng__06062005.htm


[6]  European mayors want withdrawal of US nukes from their territory marking [the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty] INT 20th anniversary

2020 Vision Campaign website, 6 December 2007

http://www.2020visioncampaign.org/pages/319


[7] Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) website

http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Infcircs/Others/infcirc140.pdf

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