ANKARA, Turkey: Turkey’s foreign minister on Thursday called for greater cooperation from Iraqi Kurds in combating rebels who stream across the border.
Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey was aiming to achieve "total economic integration" with the neighboring, semiautonomous Iraqi Kurdish region, but help in fighting the rebels is necessary.
"The greatest threat to this joint perspective is unfortunately, terrorist activities," Davutoglu said during a joint news conference with the region’s president, Massoud Barzani.
"That is why we expect full cooperation from all our brethren in Iraq," he said.
Barzani is in Turkey for a two-day visit to discuss security cooperation and ways to boost economic ties — his first visit to Turkey since taking over the presidency of the region.
Turkey and the regional administration have been trying to improve ties that have often been tense over Turkish accusations that the region has been harboring the rebels who launch attacks on Turkey from bases on the mountainous border region.
Coerced by the US, Iraqi Kurds have in the past two years been cooperating against the Kurdish rebels, proving intelligence to the Turks.
The cooperation has also brought improved trade relations and there are talks of opening a second border crossing between Turkey and the region.
But Turkey is also seeking the closure of Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, offices and bases as well as a refugee camp it accuses of harboring Kurdish rebels.
Barzani on Thursday expressed support to the Turkish government’s efforts to engage its minority Kurdish population with the aim of ending decades of fighting with the PKK, which has killed tens of thousands of people.
"We are saddened by the bloodshed whether it is a Kurdish youth or a Turkish youth," Barzani said. "This has to come to an end."
Barzani’s visit however, comes amid signs of an escalation in fighting.
On Monday, Kurdish rebels launched a rocket attack on a military vehicle near naval base in southern Turkey, killing six soldiers and wounding seven as the PKK’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, announced that he would abandon efforts to seek dialogue with Turkey, accusing the government of ignoring his calls for peace.
