|
Govt. responses to Rice: Turkey's southern neighbor is Iraq, not Kurdistan |
|
|
Thursday, 1 March 2007Minister of Justice and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said that Turkey's southern neighbor is Iraq, underlining that all statements contrary to this reality are wrong, referring to the statement of the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defining PKK as "a terrorist group acting on the border between Turkey and Kurdistan."
Speaking to a TV program on the Turkish NTV news station, Cemil Cicek responded to the statements of Rice defining the PKK as a terrorist group on the border between Turkey and Kurdistan.
"Our southern neighbor is Iraq. The statements which are contrary to this reality are wrong. We can not accept those statements. I hope Rice has a valid explanation," Cicek said.
Rice, in a speech in the U.S. Senate Tuesday said that the US is paving the way for negotiations between Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds, mentioning PKK as "terrorist group acting on the border between Turkey and Kurdistan."
In related news, the new U.S. Intelligence Chief Mike McConnell said yesterday that Turkey would declare war, in case the Iraqi Kurds establish an independent Kurdish state.
Upon a question on whether Turkey only watches if Kurds establish an independent Kurdish state, McConnell said that Turkey would not contended with only watching, and would probably declare war against such an independent Kurdish state.
VOA News
01 March 2007 |
Thursday, 1 March 2007
Govt. responses to Rice
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
