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Iraq's Kurdistan politicians welcome AK
Party's success in Turkish elections
24.7.2007 |
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July
24, 2007
Erbil-Hewler, Kurdistan region (Iraq), --
Political figures in Iraq's Kurdistan region
welcomed the results of the Turkish elections which
resulted in a comfortable majority for Justice and
Development Party (AKP), in addition to independent
Kurds winning seats in parliament.
Adnan al-Mufti, the Speaker of Kurdistan Region
Parliament, welcomed Erdogan's victory and said “We
congratulate Justice and Development Party and all
those who won in the elections; we are happy for
democracy’s success in Turkey, and believe that it
is a rich experience.”
Al-Mufti added "We hope that these results will be a
step forward in Turkey ’s progress and in the
building of its prosperous future and also for
establishing the best of relations between Federal
Iraq and Turkey .”
Mohamed Hakim member of the Islamic Group in
Kurdistan, on his part, said “The election results
are encouraging for Iraqi Kurds, because the success
of Justice and Development Party is a success for
the policy of moderation and moving away from
Turkish military dominance,” pointing out that these
results “come in the favor of peace and stability in
Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.”
“Turkey would take new steps to resolve the Kurdish
problem in Turkey , through dialogue and diplomacy,”
the prominent figure in the Islamic Group expected.
Hakim said, that the Turkish threats and military
concentrations on the borders were “mere election
publicity and will be over after it ends.”
"The threats were election publicity and we expect
an easing of the crisis, and the next government
will take steps in this direction,” Hakim noted.
Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan had
warned more than once
that Turkish Army would embark on a military
incursion in northern Iraq, if the expected talks
with Iraqi and U.S. officials, after the election,
did not reach a solution to the problem of Turkish
Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK). Ankara accuses Iraqi
Kurds of backing Kurdistan Workers Party with
weapons and explosives and provide them with a safe
haven in north of Iraq; while Kurdish leaders deny
that.
Karkhi Najim el-Din Barmak, the head of the
Democratic Turkman Movement in Kurdistan, said that
the Turkish elections “achieved important things in
favor of Turkish policy towards Kurdistan region and
Iraq,” adding that “something important occurred in
these elections, which is seen in Kurdish candidates
reaching the Turkish parliament.”
Barmak expected the holding of Turkish – Iraqi
meetings to resolve the present crisis, adding that
“there will not be any military alternatives…and I
expect there will be meetings, talks and
understanding between Turkey and Iraq on many
issues.”
Turkish – Iraqi relations witnessed lately
noticeable tension, after Turkey’s
massing thousands troops
on the borders between the two countries,
and Iraqi Government accusing Turkey of bombarding
Kurdish border villages.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
sent on Monday a telegram to Turkish
PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the occasion of his party
winning the Turkish parliamentary elections which
took place on Sunday, expressing his hope of
enhancing and expanding friendly relations between
Iraq and Turkey.
VOI
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