ISTANBUL, Nov 3: The UN chief on Saturday appealed for dialogue to resolve fears of a Turkish offensive against Kurdish rebels based in Iraq, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki pledged to work with his country’s neighbours to fight terrorism.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Iraqi leader were in Istanbul for an international meeting on Iraq’s future that has been overshadowed by the border tension, which escalated sharply over the last month amid a series of attacks by the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
“The series of incidents along the border between Turkey and Iraq demonstrates the need for continuous engagement to address concerns,” Ban said. “We recognise Turkey’s security concerns.”
Ban said attacks by rebels based in Iraq were “clearly unacceptable”.
Al-Maliki, under intense pressure from Turkey and the United States to help end rebel attacks on Turkey, pledged his government would join the effort.
“We will cooperate with our neighbours in defeating this threat,” al-Maliki said. However, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Friday that it was extremely difficult to stop Kurdish rebels in Iraq’s remote northern border region from attacking Turkey.
A Turkish Foreign Ministry official said delegates had agreed on the text of a final declaration in which they pledge to take action against terrorism, prevent the passage of illegal arms into Iraq, and ensure tighter control of borders with Iraq.
They also support a greater role for the United Nations in the reconciliation of the sides in Iraq, and back the creation of a Baghdad-based ‘support unit’ for Iraq, according to the official. He spoke on customary condition of anonymity.Turkey is hosting the session, which includes about two dozen nations and organizations pledging to support Iraq’s US-backed government, economically and politically.
The guest list includes Iran and Syria, two nations the United States blames for furthering instability and violence inside Iraq.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sat across from Iran’s foreign minister at an opening dinner Friday night, but the two had no private meeting.
Until now, Iraq’s border with Turkey to the north was not considered much of a problem for US forces or the fragile government in Baghdad. That changed over the past month with an onslaught of attacks by the PKK.—AP
