President Barzani: Turkey Should Mind Its Own
Business
Feb 18, 2007
The
President of Southern Kurdistan Massoud Barzani on Friday said Turkey has no
right to interfere in Southern Kurdistan' affairs.
Last
Thursday the chief of Turkey's
military General Staff accused Kurdish authorities in Southern Kurdistan of
actively backing the PKK forces there and said Ankara must take action, a state
news agency said on Saturday.
"At this moment, two groups are
supporting the PKK in northern Iraq," the state Anatolian news agency quoted
General Yasar Buyukanit, military in charge of foreign policy of the terrorist
state of Turkey, as saying after talks with U.S. officials in Washington.
Responding to the Turkey's
military general, Barzani said
"I believe that Turkey is well aware of the
consequences of a cross-border operation. We will not adorn the roads with
flowers to welcome them," reported the French daily Le Monde yesterday.
The
president added that Kirkuk is a Kurdish city and that "Kirkuk is a chief issue
for us and there will be no further concessions. We did our best for a legal
solution."
Barzani also clarified earlier expressed wishes for a second term of the current
AK Party government in Turkey, saying that if the party is elected again
channels for further dialogue would remain open. "If extreme nationalists assume
power in Turkey, I don't believe there would be a chance for dialogue," he
added.
Barzani also said that the Kurds would welcome a U.S. base in Southern
Kurdistan.
He also underlined that should the U.S. forces in Iraq somehow withdraw, they
are committed to protecting their advantages and defending themselves.
