Iraq urges Turkey to resolve PKK issue
politically
BAGHDAD, May 27 (Reuters) - Iraq urged its
northern neighbour Turkey on Sunday to pursue diplomatic means as it attempts
stop armed Kurdish separatists operating out of northern Iraq.
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih told reporters after meeting with a
Turkish delegation in Baghdad that Iraq would not accept a breach of its
sovereignty.
"We spoke about what are perceived to be security threats to Turkey coming from
Iraqi territory. We emphasised the need of dealing with the perceived threats
based on established channels between the governments of Iraq and Turkey," he
said.
Turkish envoy Oguz Celikkol said a number of issues had been discussed,
including Ankara's growing anger at recent violence it blames on the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK). The Turkish rebel group has thousands of fighters in the
mountains of northern Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region.
"Iraq is our neighbour and what happens here is important to us. We aren't here
to discuss one matter but all the matters that concern the two countries," he
said.
Last month Turkey's armed forces chief called for a military operation into Iraq
to quash PKK rebels, but Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Friday
that parliament had no current intention to approve military action.
Last Tuesday, a suicide bomber killed six people in Ankara but the PKK denied
involvement. A day later six soldiers were killed when their vehicle was blown
up by a landmine believed to have been planted by the guerrillas.
