Iraqi Kurdish official says democratic initiative a correct step

19 February 2011, Saturday
AZIZ İSTEGÜN, ARBIL

A senior Iraqi Kurdish administration official has welcomed a democratic initiative the Turkish government launched that includes more rights and freedoms for Turkey’s Kurdish population, praising the country’s prime minister’s steps in this regard.

Falah Mustafa Bakir, head of the Kurdistan Regional Government Department of Foreign Relations, told Today’s Zaman that he considers the democratic initiative a correct and honest step in Turkey. Noting that the steps taken by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in trying to resolve problems are effective ones, Bakir said Erdoğan’s policies are opening doors (to addressing the problems related to ethnic Kurds living in Turkey) and that his administration also wants to solve problems using dialogue.

Bakir noted that his administration is closely following developments in Turkey and that the Kurdish administration is explicitly against violence, emphasizing that the decades-long Kurdish problem cannot be resolved in only a few days.

“The Kurdish problem cannot be solved with weapons and toughness.

Problems are addressed through dialogue. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party [PKK] terrorist organization is part of Turkey’s domestic affairs. We are concerned over the fact that the PKK is using Iraqi territories as a safe haven from which they attack Turkey,” Bakir said.

Explaining that the Kurdish regional administration will continue improving its already good relations with Turkey, Bakir said he appreciates the developments in politics and economy in Turkey. The official added that Turkey is a big country that has assumed a very good role with its “zero problems with neighbors” policy and that his administration wants to see Turkey as a member of the European Union.

“Turkey has always been a good neighbor. It has friendly ties with the Kurdish administration. The opening of Turkey’s Arbil consulate is a nice step. We have wanted to establish brotherhood between Turkey and Iraqi Kurds since 1991. We are at a very advanced level in relations. This is beneficial for both sides,” Bakir concluded.

Source: Today's Zaman.
Link: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-236050-iraqi-kurdish-official-says-democratic-initiative-a-correct-step.html.