Babacan: "The PKK is anxious about our talks with the N.Iraqi administration"

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan for an official visit. Babacan will meet today with his Tajik counterpart Hamrohon Zarifi to discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments. Babacan will also meet with Turkish citizens and businessmen living and working in the country and later proceed to Kyrgyzstan. Speaking to reporters en route to Tajikistan, Babacan said that starting direct talks with the regional administration in northern Iraq is part of Turkey's strategy to isolate the terrorist PKK in the region, adding that this step is making the terrorist group anxious. He stressed that these talks signal that the issue isn't a Turkish-Kurdish conflict, or one with the regional administration, or about the ethnic origin of people living there. Babacan said what's important for Ankara is the terrorist PKK presence in northern Iraq and the regional administration's stance on this. He urged the regional administration to take more tangible steps and a firm stance against the terrorist group. He also said that the administration should be aware that their interests and the well-being of their people depend on establishing good ties with Turkey.