Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 20, 2007
QUESTION: Okay. Turkey's top military commander was in Washington last
weekend. He accused two largest Iraqi-Kurdish groups of support -- fully
supporting the PKK. Do you have any information confirming or denying these
arguments?
MR. CASEY: Well, I haven't seen his comments, but certainly, we
believe that the Government of Iraq, and by that, I would include people like
President Talabani and other representatives from the Kurdish region are
committed to working with us and with the Government of Turkey to halt PKK
activities in the north of Iraq.
So certainly, as far as we're concerned, we believe that the Government of
Iraq is committed along with us to taking action against this problem. And we
recognize that this is a serious issue. It's why we appointed General Ralston as
a special envoy to help work on this concern, to help coordinate better the
activities among the three governments. But this is obviously a problem that
does need to be addressed and we're committed to working with the Government of
Turkey and the Government of Iraq, including officials and certainly officials
from the northern part of the country on this issue.
Mr. Lambros.
QUESTION: A follow-up to my Turkish colleague's questions regarding
Kirkuk.
MR. CASEY: But of course.
QUESTION: How do you respond, Mr. Casey, to Mr. Richard Holbrooke
criticism in Washington Post that the U.S. Armed Forces (inaudible) did
not start an intensive mediation on the Kirkuk issue referring to the new Iraqi
constitution which calls a referendum this year on whether Kirkuk is to be
incorporated into the Kurdistan region and the Turkish Government of Recep
Erdogan strongly disagrees?
MR. CASEY: Well, Mr. Lambros, first of all, the issue of Kirkuk needs
to be resolved by the Iraqis themselves. There are procedures laid out in the
Iraqi constitution for doing so. We certainly are encouraging that those efforts
move forward. In terms of the comments of other individual officials on them,
well, certainly they're entitled to their views.
We believe that the best way forward on this issue is, again, to have the
Iraqis carry out the commitments that they themselves have laid out in their
constitution. And certainly, what we want to see happen is this issue be
resolved in a peaceful way in accordance to Iraqi law and that is respectful of
the rights of all communities there.
QUESTION: What about the Turkish concern?
MR. CASEY: Well, again, I think many of Iraq's neighbors have concerns
about different aspects of the situation there, including the situation in
Kirkuk. What we, again, want to encourage everyone to do is work with the Iraqi
Government and help them as they seek to try and carry out the commitments that
they --
