Monday, June 11, 2007
Iraqi FM offers talks with Turkey on PKK
Region
(AINA) - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has offered Turkey talks on how to deal with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) after his government protested to Turkey about recent shelling of northern Iraq and demanded coordination in the fight against the terrorist group.
Zebari told the BBC's Arabic Service that Iraq was ready to talk about the activities of the PKK in northern Iraq, and other matters of concern to Turkey. "We are open to dealing with these positively," he said, "but not via an intensive and large-scale bombardment of border areas."
As tensions with Iraq increase over the reported shelling, Iraqi radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr -- who commands the Mahdi Army, a militia of tens of thousands of young, impoverished Shiites, who are accused of spearheading a sectarian conflict against Iraq's minority Sunnis -- said "we will not be silent in the face of this threat." Vowing to defend the people of "Kurdistan," Sadr called on the people of Turkey to stop their armed forces from carrying out cross-border shelling in Iraq, in a statement in Najaf.
"We are ready to mediate with Turkey to end this crisis. Turkish people have to reject such actions and help to stamp out the fire between the two Muslim nations," Sadr said. "I hope Turkey will not repeat such bombardments of Iraqi territory. It has no right to do it."
Iraq says the cross-border attacks have caused widespread damage and undermined relations between the two countries. "We are against any military interventions or violations of borders or the regional security, and all issues are negotiable and can be resolved through dialogue," Zebari said. Turkey has not confirmed any cross-border shelling but it has been building up forces along the border with Iraq.
Zebari told the BBC's Arabic Service that Iraq was ready to talk about the activities of the PKK in northern Iraq, and other matters of concern to Turkey. "We are open to dealing with these positively," he said, "but not via an intensive and large-scale bombardment of border areas."
As tensions with Iraq increase over the reported shelling, Iraqi radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr -- who commands the Mahdi Army, a militia of tens of thousands of young, impoverished Shiites, who are accused of spearheading a sectarian conflict against Iraq's minority Sunnis -- said "we will not be silent in the face of this threat." Vowing to defend the people of "Kurdistan," Sadr called on the people of Turkey to stop their armed forces from carrying out cross-border shelling in Iraq, in a statement in Najaf.
"We are ready to mediate with Turkey to end this crisis. Turkish people have to reject such actions and help to stamp out the fire between the two Muslim nations," Sadr said. "I hope Turkey will not repeat such bombardments of Iraqi territory. It has no right to do it."
Iraq says the cross-border attacks have caused widespread damage and undermined relations between the two countries. "We are against any military interventions or violations of borders or the regional security, and all issues are negotiable and can be resolved through dialogue," Zebari said. Turkey has not confirmed any cross-border shelling but it has been building up forces along the border with Iraq.
Labels: Hoshyar Zibari, Moqtada Al-Sadr, PKK, Turkey
