Iraqi PM Maliki: "The PKK is trying to harm relations between our neighboring countries"

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his accompanying delegation arrived yesterday in Ankara for official talks on the heels of Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi's recent visit to Turkey. President Abdullah Gul first received Maliki at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Condemning the terrorist PKK, Gul said its terrorism has been sowing discord between the two societies. Reiterating Ankara's determination to end PKK terrorism, Gul also expressed his wish to visit Iraq as soon as possible. For his part, Maliki said, "We're sure that the PKK is trying to harm the relations between our neighboring countries," adding, "They'll never be allowed to reach their goal." Afterwards, Maliki met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Prime Ministry. Erdogan said that the Iraqi central government has declared the PKK a terrorist group, and that that is the most important consensus they have reached. Stating that terrorism is both countries' common problem and fight, Erdogan added, "We cannot tolerate an understanding which has declared people and humanity the enemy, and we'll fight terrorism through common solidarity." For his part, Maliki underlined that they should not allow terrorists to harm the Turkish-Iraqi friendship.