By NNN-KUNA
Ankara : Visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani held talks with senior Turkish officials here Friday on important files of mutual concern.
Talabani, at a joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul following the talks, said Iraq wished to established “solid strategic” relations with Ankara.
He refused to allow the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to undermine relations between Iraq and Turkey.
“Iraq’s position is clear, and the Iraqi constitution does not allow any armed entity on its territory, and there is a security agreement between both countries” in this respect, said Talabani who arrived here earlier today heading a high-level delegation.
Gul, meanwhile, said Turkey was keen on the safety and territorial integrity and independence of Iraq.
“Our relations with neighboring Iraq are strong. We have discussed our bilateral relations during our meeting,” said Gul.
Asked whether the Turkish government seeks to tackle the PKK issue peacefully, Gul said “I would like to say that the PKK should hand over their weapons and relinquish terrorism. We believe that the democracy in Turkey is like the democracy in Europe.”
Talabani is visiting Ankara after the Turkish army carried out an incursion operation into northern Iraq to hunt down PKK rebels. The week-long incursion resulted in the killing of nearly 300 people from both sides.