Telephone Lines Cut off from  Kirkuk's Kurdish Districts 

Kurdistan Democracy Party (KDP) member responsible for international relations Hosyar Zebari stated that Iraqi Kurds do not want an independent state, but a federation. 

Zebari, delivering a speech at the "Northern Iraqis: The Key to Stability in Iraq" conference, set up with the cooperation of American University's Global Peace Institute and the Mesoud Barzani Global Kurdish Studies Institute, stated that the current situation in Iraq was successful. 

"We do not mean to say that we have created the best democracy, but at least it functions and we are happy," Zebari said and thanked the United States, Britain and Turkey for their support of Northern Iraq. Zebari, stating that all Iraqi opposition representatives had taken part in the conference said: "Iraq is our country. Our model can be a model for all." 

"If Iraq loses it's unity, then we will not have a future. We can achieve nothing without our allies. No one wants a Kurdish state," he added. 

Regime change 

Zebari, indicating that the Kurds' future was with Iraq and that they were cooperating with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), said: "We are focusing on Bagdad -- the frame of the political system in Bagdad should be reconstructed. Yes, we are definitely ready for a regime change, but we won't risk what we already have." 

Zebari, responding to a question regarding their request for aid from the United States in the event of an Iraqi operation, stated that their main concern was to protect civilians from Saddam's army. Zebari stated that they had so far benefited from the no-fly zone, that this may not be enough if Iraq launched an operation. 

Intervention creates chaos 

Zebari, answering a question about possible Turkish or Iranian intervention following an Iraqi military operation in the region, stated that would create chaos. 

Question applauded, but no answer given 
A question raised by U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Board advisor, and former Washington Institute think tank member, Alan Makovsky, "do you want to have Kerkuk in your territories in the Kurdish region?" was applauded but not answered. According to the Anatolia News Agency, Iraqi Kurds have lobbied for some time in the United States for support for this decision." 

Kerkuk is Turkoman capital

Iraqi Turkoman Front Washington Representative Orhan Ketene, stated that Kerkuk was the Turkoman capital. "Kerkuk is the Turkoman capital and it will stay that way. Kurds may invent history and geography, but we won't accept this," Ketene said. 

Ketene stated that he had applied to talk at the conference but was rejected. Ketene said, "The Iraq opposition does not want Turkoman in the foreground, but there is no solution to the problem without Turkoman." 

No one will accept a Kurdish state

Washington National Defence University professor, ambassador Peter Galbraith, stated that no one would accept a Kurdish state. Galbraith indicated that not only Turkey, but Europe, Iran, Syria, and the United States would reject such a thing. 

Claims of independence are risky 

Retired Ambassador and Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TEVSEV) Chairman Ozdem Sanberk warned Iraqi Kurds that they should not try to establish an independent state, because this would open a "Pandora's box," creating tensions in neighboring states. 

Turkoman region under equal conditions 

Sanberk indicated that Turkey may look toward a Turkoman region, under equal conditions with the others, if there was an initiative to create a separate region based on ethnic diversity. Sanberk stated that these views were his own personal views, not those of the Turkish government. 
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