Turkish minister says US troops should launch operation against Kurdish rebels
NTV television, Istanbul
13 Sep 05
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has said that the US Armed Forces should
undertake an operation against the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] in
the same way that they launched an operation on Tal Afar in Iraq on
grounds of security. Gul further said that the fight against the PKK is
the coalition forces’ responsibility as much as the Iraqi government’s.
Foreign Minister Gul, who is in New York for the UN meetings, said
that similar operations to those undertaken by the United States in
Tal Afar on grounds of security should be launched in other places,
where there are terrorists as well.
Gul added: In the same way that operations are launched in Tal Afar
because there are armed militia there, operations should be launched
in other places where there are terrorists. This is our expectation.
We know the power of Iraqi forces. We hope that Iraq gets back on
its feet and protect its own borders very soon.
Gul criticized the United States for leaving the initiative to fight
the PKK to the Iraqi government only. Gul said: The fight against the
PKK terrorist organization is undoubtedly not only the duty of the
Iraqi forces, it is also the responsibility of the coalition forces
as well. This is evident.
Gul noted that a large quantity of aid convoys were being dispatched
to Tal Afar after the operations.