Barzani says talks with Turkey to continue

Massoud Barzani, the head of the regional administration in northern Iraq, said yesterday that talks with Ankara would continue both in the region itself and in Turkey. Barzani told reporters that the two sides have turned a new page and opened a path for dialogue. Referring to his meeting last week with Turkey's Special Envoy to Iraq Murat Ozcelik, he said, "Turkey took a step to boost relations. This was the first meeting between the head of the regional administration and a Turkish delegation. It was a new beginning which broke down the walls and melted the distrust between Turkey and the regional administration." Barzani said that the two parties didn't discuss specifics regarding the terrorist PKK or any other issue, adding that those would be dealt with in detail later. He also said the talks carry great importance for finding solutions to the problems of the region.