"TURKEY MUST CONCILIATE WITH IDEA OF EXISTENCE OF INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN," HEAD OF KURDISH AUTOCRACY OF NORTHERN IRAQ STATES

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Feb 28 2007

ANKARA, FEBRUARY 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "We can not
struggle against the Labour Party of Kurdistan. Turkey must already
adjust to the idea of existence of independent Kurdistan." Mesud
Barzani, the head of the Kurdish Autocracy of Northern Iraq, Chairman
of the Democratic Party of Kurdistan passed among other shocking
statements the above-mentioned two precepts to official Ankara in
the interview given to the Turkish NTV TV channel.

As the Turkish "Zaman" daily states, with this interview Barzani
responded Yasar Buyukanit, the Chief of the Headquarters General of
the Armed Forces of Turkey, who refused to start a dialogue with Kurd
leader of Northern Iraq. "If Buyukanit does not want to speak with us,
it is his affair. We welcome Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s step
for starting a dialogue with Kurds," the Kurd leader mentioned.

Barzani at the same time stressed that Kurds hold out hand of
friendship to Turkey: "There is not fact that we assist the KLP,
but, at the same time, we may not struggle against that party. The
KLP issue must be solved with the help of political but not military
means. Turkey can in any way struggle in its territories, but if
it enters Northern Iraq, we can not remain indifferent, either,"
Barzani mentioned.

The Kurd leader stated that the number of Kurds in all over the
world is 40 million and "they have right to have own state." "The
history has not been just towards Kurds. Turks, Arabs and Iranians
must understand that it is not shameful to speak about this issue
any more," Mesud Barzani stated.