Turkish Land Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug said on Monday that Turkey was very concerned about the developments in northern Iraq's Kurdish region.
Speaking at the beginning of the 2007-2008 academic year at the Turkish Military Academy, Basbug said "it is a fact that the developments in north of Iraq has given political, legal, military and psychological strength to Kurds living in the region as they have never had or experienced before in the past."
"We must be careful about the developments in north of Iraq as these may give some of our citizens a feeling of belonging to that region," added Basbug.
He, meanwhile, expressed worries about the terrorist organization in the region, urging the United States to take action against the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).
He underlined that the U.S. must understand that the presence of the PKK in northern Iraq is a serious threat to Turkey.
The general also highlighted the importance of Turkey's help in stabilizing its volatile neighbor, saying "The U.S. must understand that a solution reached without Turkey's support in Iraq won't be a lasting one."
Turkish military's concerns over the Kurdish region in Iraq are running deep as it was granted an all-time autonomy.
The PKK, a Kurdish group in Turkey aiming at an independence Kurdistan state, launched an armed campaign for an ethnic homeland in the mainly Kurdish southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking decades of strife that has claimed more than 30,000 lives.
The group has increased attacks on Turkish troops in southeastern Turkey in recent months, which led to rising Turkish demands for an incursion into northern Iraq to crush the rebels based there.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article