Turkish Foreign Minister ‘Ali Babacan arrived in Iraq on Tuesday in an attempt to solve the Kurdish crisis and prevent a Turkish mass military invasion into northern Iraq.
Following his meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zibari, Babacan said his country’s ties with Iraq were historically good and neighborly. He said Turkey took Iraq’s sovereignty seriously, but was also very concerned about the threat of Kurdish terrorism. Both foreign ministers told journalists that military steps would only be used as a last resort after exhausting all other means.
Later today Babacan is also scheduled to meet with Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, as well as with President Jalal Talabani.
In the past month Kurdish rebels have launched several attacks against Turkish civilians and soldiers in southeast Turkey, near the border with Iraq, killing 42 and wounding many others.
The Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) announced Monday night it would agree to a temporary cease-fire if Turkey ceased its artillery attacks on their bases and if the army promised not to invade northern Iraq. Turkey has not yet responded to the offer.
Earlier this week the Turkish parliament authorized the government to take military action in northern Iraq to eliminate the Kurdish bases there if it deemed it necessary. So far, the Turkish government has heeded U.S. calls to hold back from unilateral action.
Meanwhile, on Monday U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with her British counterpart, David Miliband. The two discussed the Kurdish crisis and called on Baghdad and the Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq to take concrete actions to halt the PKK operations.
Earlier on Monday U.S. President George W. Bush made a telephone call to Turkish President ‘Abdullah Gul stressing his country’s commitment to co-operate with Turkey and Iraq to combat the PKK attacks.