Kurdish Leader Calls for the Elimination of Ladenite Ansar Al-Islam.

Northern Iraq Turkmen Front: United States' Taking A Wrong Step

Turkish Press

Aug 9, 2002

Northern Iraq Turkmen Front Executive Council member Aydin Beyatli said on Friday that the United States' taking a wrong step when overthrowing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein could bring dangerous results to Iraq.

Beyatli told the A.A that the United States should target Hussein and people who were close to him to bring peace to the region and added that the United States' bombing strategical regions in 1991 put Iraq in a very difficult situation.

Beyatli said that military operation should not harm civilian people in Iraq.

Beyatli remarked that 400,000 people Iraqi Republic Guardian Army included Hussein's relatives and the people who were bound with him, stating that the United States should target this 400,000 people army, not the Iraqi army including Turkmens and Arabs.

He said that six groups in Iraq were invited to the meeting to be held in Washington on Friday and recalled that they, as Turkmens, were not invited to that meeting.

Beyatli said that they were told during their contacts with the U.S. government that Turkmens would be invited following the meetings.