KurdistanObserver.com

Easily Angered Turkey is Shaken by Recognition of President Barzani in Washington

Ankara visibly disturbed by Barzani visit to White House

Turkish Daily News

Oct 28, 2005


U.S. President George W. Bush (R) and President of Kurdistan Regional Government (Iraq) Massoud Barzani (L) Photo: AP Turkey has relayed its displeasure to the Washington, DC administration over the manner in which Massoud Barzani, the leader of the Iraq Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), was received in the White House by US President George W. Bush this week.

FM: This threatens the unity of Iraq

Yesterday in Ankara, the Charge d'Affaires for the US Embassy, Nancy McEldowney, was called to the Foreign Ministry, where Turkish Undersecretary Nabi Sensoy formally asked her to explain "whose president" Barzani was welcomed as at the White House. Sensoy reportedly passed on a warning to McEldowney that such practices threatened the unity of Iraq.

Kurdish flag waves over Turkey border crossing

There has been a formal request on the part of the Ankara administration to Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party to take down the Kurdish flag which was put up earlier this week over the Halil Ibrahim border crossing point between Turkey and northern Iraq.