Zebari Says Turkey’s Poll Worries Misplaced

Turkish Daily News

Feb 15, 2005

Turkey should not worry about the Kurdish success in the Iraqi elections, as Iraq will remain a country having friendly ties with neighboring Turkey, said Iraq's interim Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurdish politician.

Election results announced on Sunday revealed that the Kurdish list won 26 percent of the vote across Iraq in the Jan. 30 polls. Turkey, concerned about Kurdish gains especially in the local elections in the disputed northern city of Kirkuk, said the elections had failed to produce a parliament truly representative of the people because of low turnout and the “manipulation” of votes in some areas, complaining that, “certain groups made unjust gains.”

Zebari, who spoke to CNN International, said Turkey should not worry about Kurdish separatism in Iraq. “All their fears are misplaced,” he said. “Iraq will remain united.”

Kurds won close to 60 percent of the vote in Tamim province, which includes oil-rich Kirkuk.

According to Zebari, the very fact that the Kurdish participation in Iraqi and provincial elections was high underlines the Kurdish commitment to the unity of Iraq. He said the Kurds were seeking pluralism in a democratic, federal and united Iraq.