ANKARA, June 12 (Xinhua) — Turkey’s General Staff Headquarters Spokesman Metin Gurak said on Friday that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Turkey and Iraq would contribute to regional peace.
Gurak, also the head of the Communication Department of the General Staff, said at a weekly press briefing in Ankara, “the memorandum of understanding signed by the two neighboring countries that have historical, cultural and traditional ties will contribute to peace in the Middle East that is still facing negative developments.”
Turkish Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Hasan Igsiz and visiting Iraqi Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Nasier Abadi signed a memorandum of understanding on military training, technical and scientific cooperation in Ankara on Tuesday.
Gurak said that the MoU would lay the legal groundwork for further agreements.
“Our friendly relations based on brotherhood, mutual understanding and cooperation will further improve with this memorandum,” Gurak said.
Ankara has sought close ties with Baghdad to enlist Iraqi support against the outlawed Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), whose members used northern Iraq as a base for launching attacks in Turkey.
Turkish security forces conducted frequent operations against PKK militants in eastern and southeastern Turkey.
The PKK took up arms in 1984 to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. So far, some 40,000 people have been killed in the past two-decade conflicts.
Turkey’s military forces have taken tougher actions against the PKK after the country’s legislature extended the government’s mandate to launch cross-border operations against the rebels in northern Iraq.
Source: news.xinhuanet.com, 12.06.2009
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