Articles About Terrorist Activities

Hurriyet

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki arrived in Ankara on Wednesday, where he met with Turkish leaders to discuss the terror organization PKK, as the diplomatic contacts between the two countries gains momentum.

Maliki, accompanied by six Iraqi ministers during his visit, met Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey and Iraq would continue their joint fight against terrorism, Erdogan said following his meeting Maliki.

The two prime ministers discussed possible political and military steps that could be taken against the terror organization PKK during their meeting.

Erdogan said both Ankara and the central government of Iraq defined the PKK as a terrorist organization, and that Turkey, Iraq and the United States maintained the trilateral mechanism in fight against terrorism.

“Both Iraq and Turkey are in a serious fight against terrorism, and terrorism is our common issue,” he was quoted by the Anatolian Agency as saying.

Maliki told reporters at the airport in Ankara he came to Turkey to promote bilateral relations. “We are here for the brotherhood between two countries,” he added.

“A trilateral committee was established that held its first meeting in Baghdad, where some decisions were taken, and we support the decisions of this committee. The first target of this committee is the struggle with the terror organization,” Maliki said.

“We are here to protect all interests of the two countries,” he added. 

United States, Turkish and Iraqi officials in November formed a joint committee to combat the PKK after holding three-way talks in Baghdad as part of efforts to boost cooperation against the terrorists.

Turkey, provided with intelligence by the United States, has stepped up its campaign to crackdown on the PKK both inside Turkey and in northern Iraq, after the terror organization increased its attacks on Turkish soldiers, as well as civilians.

Maliki’s visit comes as Iraqi President Jalal Talabani spoke of the possibility of the PKK laying down arms and disclosed a staged plan to end terror.

The diplomatic contacts between Turkey and Iraq have intensified recently.

Gul said Tuesday he will visit Iraq in January after postponing his visit to the Middle East earlier this month because of an ear ailment that prevented him from flying.

Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi was in Turkey to meet the Turkish president and prime minister last week. Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari is also expected to pay a visit to Ankara in the near term.

Source: www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/10634799.asp?gid=243