US, Turkish officials discuss PKK

06/06/2008

WASHINGTON, United States -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice assured visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan on Thursday (June 5th) that the US is committed to helping Turkey cope with the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). "The PKK is an enemy of Iraq; it's an enemy of the United States; it's an enemy of Turkey; it's an enemy of the region," Rice said. She and Babacan also discussed Turkey's efforts to mediate between Israel and Syria. The US offered to support this dialogue.

Also Thursday, Turkish land forces commander General Ilker Basbug said Turkey and Iran are sharing intelligence and have carried out joint strikes against PKK camps in northern Iraq. "When they start an operation, we do too," the general said on the sidelines of a security conference in Istanbul. (Zaman - 06/06/08; AP, CBS, Reuters - 05/06/08)