October 22, 2007	Monday	Shawwal 9, 1428

TEHRAN, Oct 21: Iran on Sunday refused to explicitly back Turkey’s plan for an incursion against Kurdish militant bases in northern Iraq, saying that dialogue between Ankara and Baghdad was the best solution.

“Diplomatic means should be used and dialogue should continue between Iraq and Turkey,” foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told reporters.

“Any solution that creates tension will only worsen the situation in northern Iraq, although we believe there is a need to confront the terrorist grouplets.” The Turkish parliament last week approved a motion authorising military strikes in northern Iraq for a one-year period against the Kurdistan Workers’

Party (PKK), which has waged a 23-year armed campaign for Kurdish self-rule in southeast Turkey.

Syria, which like Iran, Iraq and Turkey has a Kurdish minority, infuriated Baghdad by saying it would back Turkish military action against the militants in northern Iraq.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said such an action was Ankara’s ‘legitimate right’, prompting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to say Assad had crossed a red line.

Iran’s military confirmed last month that Tehran has been shelling Kurdish militant bases in northern Iraq to prevent separatists from creeping over the border into Iran and carrying out attacks.—AFP