IRAQ: British Defence Minister Des Browne says Turkish military actions is no solution to the PKK problem

British Defence Minister Des Browne says Turkish military actions is no solution to the PKK problem. Firm and resolute action is needed immediately to constrain Kurdish separatist guerrillas, but military action would be in no one's interest and further dialogue is vital, Britain said on Thursday (November 1). Speaking after meeting the leader of Iraq's Kurdistan region Masoud Barazani, British Defense Minister Des Browne said a range of measures was needed to address the PKK problem and that he was impressed by Kurdistan's commitment to find a peaceful solution. "The whole focus of our efforts and the advantage of me being here today, is that I can make a contribution to our collective efforts to ensure that no such cross-border operation ever takes place," Browne said at a joint news conference with Barazani. Turkey has massed 100,000 troops on Iraq's border and is threatening to invade to oust fighters of the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from their mountain bases. "We strongly agreed that military action is in no one's interest and that dialogue between all the parties is vital to achieving a satisfactory resolution," he told the news conference. Browne held talks with Barazani in the Kurdish city of Arbil on Thursday, following discussions in Baghdad on Wednesday (October 31) with leaders of the Iraqi government. "Firm and resolute action needs to be taken immediately to constrain the PKK terrorist activities," he added. Browne stressed that the meeting of Iraq's neighbours on Friday (November 2) in Istanbul would be a key forum for addressing the PKK issue as cross-border problems needed regional solutions. Barazani said Kurdistan would do whatever it could to help Turkey and the PKK find a peaceful political solution. "We are ready to help Turkey and the PKK if they choose the peaceful solution. We will exert our utmost efforts for a successful peace process. However if the two sides insist on the military choice, we will do everything we can to keep their war out of the Kurdistan region. We will do our best to avoid this war, which is not our war," he told the news conference. But, Barazani said branding the PKK terrorists would not help solve the problem, and that he would only use that term if the PKK were to reject a peaceful initiative from Turkey. "If the PKK refuses a Turkish peace initiative, then we will label them as terrorists. Although I disapprove of violence, I disapprove of many of the PKK's actions, I will only label them as terrorists if they refuse a Turkish peace initiative," he Barazani. Turkey accuses Barazani and his administration of providing shelter and support to an estimated 3,000 PKK guerrillas. Barzani denies the charges but says he will not turn over any Kurd to Turkish authorities. Turkish-Iraqi bilateral trade amounts to some 5 billion USD per year and oil from northern Iraq flows through Turkish pipelines.

ITN Source | November 2, 2007

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