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Chalabi says Iraq must tackle foreign
militants
7.11.2005
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LONDON (Reuters)
- Iraq must do more to stop the country being used
as a base for foreign militants seeking to
destabilise its neighbours, Deputy Prime Minister
Ahmad Chalabi said in comments published on Monday.
In an interview with Britain's Financial Times,
Chalabi acknowledged Iran's "legitimate concern"
about Mujahedin-e Khalq, an Iranian opposition group
operating in Iraq which the United States lists as a
terrorist organisation.
He said there were also concerns in Turkey over
bases in Kurdistan (northern Iraq) operated by the
banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
"We should enforce the article in our constitution
that Iraq should not be a transit point or base for
destabilising neighbours," Chalabi told the
newspaper. "We should deal with these issues
humanely and fairly, but firmly."
Turkish leaders complain the PKK has a safe-haven in
the mountains of northern Iraq from where rebel
commanders direct operations into Turkey.
After more than 20 years of conflict, Turkish forces
have failed to completely quell the PKK's armed
campaign for home-rule in the mainly Kurdish
southeast.
On Iran, Chalabi said Tehran had agreed to study his
proposal for an inquiry by British, Iranian and
Iraqi representatives into recent violence in the
southern city of Basra.
Chalabi said Britain raised tension in the area by
accusing Iran of helping Iraq militants to plant
roadside bombs which killed British troops.
He added that Iran also inflamed the situation with
allegations of British backing for militant Arab
separatists in south-west Iran, according to the FT
report.
Reuters
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