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Iraqi Kurdistan PM urges Turkey's Kurdish
PKK rebels to declare ceasefire
7.11.2007 |
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November
7, 2007
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan region 'Iraq', --
Iraq's Kurdistan region's prime minister Nechirvan
Barzani Wednesday urged Turkey's Kurdish PKK rebels
to declare a ceasefire "and think of another
solution" to achieving their goal of a Kurdish
state.
"If they continue this way, they will cause a lot of
damage to themselves," Barzani told a press
conference in Erbil, capital of autonomous Kurdistan
region in 'northern Iraq'.
"We ask the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) to think
of another solution and give up the military,"
Barzani added.
The PKK was established in late 1970s. It has waged
an armed campaign against successive Turkish
governments since 1984 with the aim of winning
autonomy for Turkish Kurds in the mainly Kurdish
southeastern of Turkey.
Ankara last month threatened to strike PKK bases in
Kurdistan 'northern Iraq' if Baghdad and Washington
fail to take urgent action against the rebels.
www.ekurd.net
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Nechirvan Barzani, Prime
Minister of
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) |
Turkey accuses the Iraqi Kurdistan of aiding the PKK
group, but Kurdish authorities in Kurdistan region
strongly reject the claim.
"The PKK should take into consideration our
(regional) interests and think of another solution,
a peaceful one, and announce a long-term and
unconditional ceasefire," said Barzani.
He denied claims by Turkey the regional authority is
not doing enough to rein in the PKK rebels.
"We took measures against
the PKK to prevent them travelling by air, we
increased observations on Makhmor camp (where
Turkish Kurd refugees are sheltered), and we have
tightened measures around the camp to prevent any
infiltration by the PKK.
"Turkey is an important country for us. We have good
economic relations."
Tension between Ankara and Baghdad intensified in
recent weeks after the PKK fighters ambushed a
Turkish military patrol and killed 12 soldiers.
The ambush angered Ankara which has threatened to
launch a military incursion into Kurdistan 'northern
Iraq' to attack the guerrillas.
Turkey rejects direct talks with the official Iraqi
Kurdistan government on the crisis over the Turkey's
separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebels,
officially, Turkey does not recognise the regional
government of Kurdistan led by president Massoud
Barzani.
Turkey has never, and still does not, recognize the
Kurdistan region government (KRG) and refuses to
meet with its representatives in any official
capacity. That reflects Ankara's fear that any
international respect shown to the autonomous Iraqi
Kurdistan region would only embolden Turkey's own
large Kurdish minority to seek similar home-rule
status. www.ekurd.net
Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan regional
government that holds sway in northern Iraq,
regretted Ankara's refusal to hold direct talks on
the crisis over the Turkey's separatist Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) rebels.
AFP
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