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U.S. URGES TURKEY TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM N. IRAQ
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.02.2008 14:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The United States called on Thursday for NATO ally
Turkey to end its major ground offensive against Kurdish PKK rebels
in northern Iraq as soon as possible, but Ankara said it would stay
until the job was done.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters in Ankara that he had
been given no timetable for a Turkish withdrawal.
"The key is for us to make clear what our interests are, our concerns
about the situation in Iraq," he said after meeting with Turkey's
defense minister.
Washington fears that a prolonged Turkish operation will undermine
stability in the region, particularly Iraq.
"It should be clear that military action alone will not end this
terrorist threat," Gates added, saying Ankara must also take political
and economic steps to isolate the PKK guerrillas and help support
Turkey's large ethnic Kurdish minority, Reuters reports.
For his part, Turkish Prime Minister's chief foreign affairs adviser
Ahmed Davutoglu said that decision on withdrawal terms has not been
taken yet.
Some 100 thousand Turkish troops crossed the Iraqi border on February
22 night. 173 Kurdish rebels and 17 Turkish soldiers are reported to
be killed.
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.02.2008 14:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The United States called on Thursday for NATO ally
Turkey to end its major ground offensive against Kurdish PKK rebels
in northern Iraq as soon as possible, but Ankara said it would stay
until the job was done.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters in Ankara that he had
been given no timetable for a Turkish withdrawal.
"The key is for us to make clear what our interests are, our concerns
about the situation in Iraq," he said after meeting with Turkey's
defense minister.
Washington fears that a prolonged Turkish operation will undermine
stability in the region, particularly Iraq.
"It should be clear that military action alone will not end this
terrorist threat," Gates added, saying Ankara must also take political
and economic steps to isolate the PKK guerrillas and help support
Turkey's large ethnic Kurdish minority, Reuters reports.
For his part, Turkish Prime Minister's chief foreign affairs adviser
Ahmed Davutoglu said that decision on withdrawal terms has not been
taken yet.
Some 100 thousand Turkish troops crossed the Iraqi border on February
22 night. 173 Kurdish rebels and 17 Turkish soldiers are reported to
be killed.