United States and the United Kingdom Denounce PKK Terrorist Group

WASHINGTON, DC - United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and David Miliband, M.P., Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland issued the following joint statement Monday, October 22, 2007.

We condemn the latest attacks by the PKK terrorist group against Turkey and its citizens. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims' families, the Turkish Government, and all the citizens of Turkey.

We will intensify efforts with our Turkish and Iraqi allies to achieve our common goals to end PKK terrorism. While we welcome the Iraqi government's condemnation of these acts of terrorism, we call upon Iraqi and Kurdish Regional Government authorities to take immediate steps to halt PKK operations from Iraqi territory. At a time when we are seeing real progress in the security situation inside Iraq and efforts to promote peace in the region, the Iraqi Government must demonstrate its commitment to regional stability.

We continue to believe that cooperation and coordination between Turkey and Iraq is the most effective means to eliminate the PKK threat. We are encouraged by the September 28 counterterrorism agreement concluded by Turkey and Iraq and welcome recent statements from senior Iraqi officials, including President Talabani and PM al-Maliki, promising cooperation with Turkey to eliminate PKK terrorism.

We have both been in contact with the highest levels of the Turkish and Iraqi Governments over the weekend and are in close touch with EU and other international partners who are engaged on this issue. We support strongly the Turkish Government's commitment to dealing with the PKK through diplomatic means. We are proposing a meeting of the Tripartite Committee at the upcoming Group of Expanded Neighbours Ministerial in Istanbul on 2-3 November to discuss how best to implement the 28 September Agreement on Combating Terrorism concluded between Iraq and Turkey.

We call on other members of the international community to be unequivocal in their condemnation of PKK terrorism and to support Turkey, and Iraq in their efforts to eliminate this threat in a lasting and stabilizing manner.

Source: US Department of State

Technorati Tags: News World Condoleezza Rice David Miliband MP Government Iraq Kurdish Rebels Kurds PKK Turkey US Department of State