|
Iraq sez Turkish military withdrawing
BAGHDAD - The Turkish military has begun withdrawing from northern Iraq, Iraq's foreign minister said Friday, a day after the U.S. pressured Turkey to end the offensive against separatist Kurdish rebels. "We welcome this move," Hoshyar Zebari told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "The timing is good. I think the military carried out its promises" to remove Turkish troops after finishing the operations. Zebari said regional Iraqi authorities had informed him that the Turkish troops were leaving northern Iraq, and the Turkish military had targeted only the rebels, not civilians living in the remote region. The foreign minister said he hoped Turkey "will respect the sovereignty of Iraq." The move came a day after U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Turkish leaders during a visit in Ankara that they should end the offensive as soon as possible. In Washington, President Bush made a similar point Thursday, saying Turkey needed to move quickly and get out. Zebari credited the U.S. with playing an "instrumental" role in pressing Turkey to leave. "The U.S. played a very important role on all fronts to remind Turkey of the seriousness of the situation," Zebari said. Turkey launched the incursion into northern Iraq more than a week ago against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a group fighting for the autonomy of predominantly Kurdish southeastern Turkey. The rebels have carried out attacks in Turkey from bases in Kurdish Iraq. Iraqi authorities have said they do not support the PKK but objected to Turkey's military action. The PKK took up arms against Turkey in 1984. The fighting has killed up to 40,000 people. Posted by: anonymous5089 2008-02-29 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=231175 |