No Base in Iskenderun

"We don't want war," said Akgun. He called on to the U.S. to give up on the attack.

Akgun reminded that the government allowed for the use of the bases in Turkey, and gave permission for the investigation of its bases and ports. One of the new bases in case of a war will be the Iskenderun port, said Akgun.

He said that the Iskenderun port and railroad were undergoing cleaning and maintenance. Whether Iskenderun will be under risk in case of a war is also controversial, said Akgun.

He said many people had fled Iskenderun during the Gulf War, and have not returned although 13 years have passed. There have not been any investments in Iskenderun since the Gulf War, said Akgun.

"The Iskenderun port that used to be very busy is no longer active. The people in Iskenderun were badly affected by this. The economy, construction sector, importers, exporters, oil companies and tradesmen of Iskenderun went through a big crisis.

Akgun said the following:

* We, as the Iskenderun branch of the Chamber of Architecture, are calling on our ally U.S. not to attack our neighbor Iraq. We say "no" to war.

* Millions of people in Turkey are against war. We should all come together and say "no" to war.

* The U.S. wants to make Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East and Iraq pay for the September 11 attacks. That is why it is trying to base in these regions, and gain control of the oil fields.

* The U.S. is using as an excuse, that Iraq will use mass destruction weapons against Americans. It is not listening to anyone or anything and using its power to make a decision and attack.

* They are trying to pull Turkey into this war by promising to erase some of its debt, and giving it a share from the oil in Mosul and Kirkuk. What did they give Turkey when it supported the Gulf War? We were at a loss of 35 billion USD. And the biggest negative impact was on Iskenderun. (BB/EA/NM)