Turkey urges Iraq to take more concrete steps against PKK

Amid rising tension due to illegal demonstrations by supporters of the terrorist PKK under the pretext of protesting the closure of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), banned by court order earlier this month due to its links with the terrorist group, Interior Minister Besir Atalay had talks yesterday with Iraqi and US officials in Baghdad to coordinate counterterrorism efforts. The trilateral committee he attended was formed just over a year ago. Speaking to reporters ahead of his trip to Baghdad, Atalay, the coordinator of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government's democratization initiative, said considerable progress has been made through the trilateral committee, which cooperative measures for eliminating PKK bases in northern Iraq. "However, this process is not yet at a level which can meet our demands and expectations," said Atalay. "We want a complete end to the PKK presence in Iraqi territory and its leaders to be captured and extradited to Turkey with active support from our Iraqi brothers and our ally, the US. In short, we want the terrorist threat from Iraqi territory to be brought to an end. That's our goal."