President Gul returns from historic Iraqi visit

On a visit to Iraq, President Abdullah Gul yesterday met with Turkmen deputies of the Iraqi Parliament and also received Nechirvan Barzani of the northern Iraqi regional administration. Afterwards, Barzani told a press conference that Turkey is an important country for the northern Iraqi administration. "We want to establish good relations with Turkey," he added. "We also understand Turkey's concerns very well." Barzani said that under Iraq's Constitution, the regional administration would not tolerate any attacks from its territory against neighboring countries and that he supported Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's call on to the terrorist PKK to either lay down its arms or leave Iraq. After visiting Talabani and his wife Hero, Gul returned Turkey yesterday.