Sep 10, 2004

Iraqi Kurdistan: Ankara Discusses PKK with Iraqi Kurdish Groups


Ankara made known to prominent members of Iraq's Kurdish groups Turkey's sensitivities about the activities of PKK in Kerkuk
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Ankara made known to prominent members of Iraq's Kurdish groups Turkey's sensitivities about the activities of the Kurdish Workers' Party and Kurdish People's Party (PKK/KONGRA-GEL) terrorist organization.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan disclosed that Iraqi Kurdistan Patriotic Union (IKPU) leader Celal Talabani and a high-ranking member of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) were in Ankara for a series of meetings earlier this week. Tan pointed out that Turkey expressed its concerns about both Kerkuk (Kirkuk) and the activities of PKK/KONGRA- GEL in northern Iraq.

Talabani met with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and informed him about the latest developments in Iraq. The IKPU leader declared that they were ready to protect the security of Turkish truck drivers.

When asked about the opening of a second border gate between Iraq and Turkey, Talabani expressed that while an agreement was signed months ago, it has not yet been implemented.

When reminded that PKK/KONGRA-GEL was divided on the inside, Talabani acknowledged that IKPU was aware of the situation but that it had no control over the PKK's internal affairs.

On the whereabouts of Osman Ocalan, brother of Abdullah Ocalan, Talabani said that he was still in northern Iraq but that he could not give Ocalan's exact location.

Source: Zaman