MOSCOW, October 10, 2007 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow has called on Ankara to exercise
restraint and desist from the use of force against Kurdish militants based in
Iraqi Kurdistan, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.
Mikhail Kamynin said Turkish authorities earlier announced their readiness to
counter the mounting threat of "terrorism", including, if necessary, the conduct
of a cross-border operation in the neighboring state.
"We urge all parties in the conflict to exercise maximum restraint and
demonstrate the ability to assess the long-term effects of their actions,
including those that might further aggravate the situation," he said.
Turkey has been amassing troops on the border with Southern Kurdistan, while
artillery units have been shelling Kurdish positions across the border.
The situation is especially serious in southeast Turkey (Northern Kurdistan),
where 15 Turkish military servicemen were killed recently by Kurdish
separatists.
