US pledges anti-PKK efforts
Condoleezza Rice described the PKK as a "common enemy"
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Friday, 02, Nov 2007 08:16
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has pledged her country's support for Turkey as Ankara attempts to deal with Kurdish rebels.
She made the comments during a visit to the Turkish capital designed to deter Turkey from military intervention into northern Iraq to target bases of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
"We all need to redouble our efforts and the United States is committed to redoubling our efforts," Dr Rice told a joint news conference with Turkey's foreign minister Ali Babacan.
Expressing his country's increasing frustrating with the rebels, Mr Babacan said Turkey has reached a stage where "words end and action needs to start".
Yesterday Dr Rice described the PKK as a "common enemy" of the US, Turkey and Iraq and said it is a threat to stability in Iraq.
"We've certainly been concerned that anything that would destabilise the north of Iraq is not going to be in Turkey's interest, it's not going to be in our interest, it's not going to be in the Iraqis' interest. And so that's been the reason for urging restraint," she said.
"But we understand the need to do something effective against this PKK threat. We consider it a very real threat. We consider it a very real threat to Turkey. We consider it a very real threat to stability in Iraq. So we have a strong interest also in being able to act effectively against the PKK."
After the Istanbul meeting Dr Rice will visit Jerusalem and Ramallah for a meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.