MOSCOW - Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union for Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) denied on Wednesday the claim saying that they wanted the detention of Turkish soldiers in Iraq.
Speaking to A.A correspondent in Russia, Talabani said that they didn't have any connection with the detention of Turkish soldiers in Sulaymaniyah, adding ''the claim saying that it was us who wanted the detention of Turkish soldiers, is totally baseless.''
Noting that American soldiers acted on their own, Talabani said that all American soldiers who took part in the incident came from Kirkuk. ''They didn't inform us beforehand and they didn't ask for permission. We didn't want Turkish soldiers to be detained and see them in this position. Turkish soldiers are our guest. We invited them here. We told Americans that the thing they did was wrong,'' he said.
When asked if his visit to Turkey was still on the agenda, Talabani said that ''when I saw that there is such preparation in the Turkish side, I will go to Turkey and I will explain the real picture of the incident in Sulaymaniyah. I can assure them that we didn't have any role in that incident.''
Pointing out that PUK wanted to develop good relations with Turkey in economic and political fields, Talabani said that claims saying that Iraq would be divided and Turkmens would be killed were put forward before the war. Talabani said that ''in this period, it has been seen that these claims were not true. I will explain these if I have the chance to come to Turkey.''
Talabani stated that a few Turkish soldiers having the status of observer were present in the north of Iraq, adding that ''we invited them and they are always our guests.''
Talabani commented that PKK/KADEK was in certain regions in the north of Iraq and they waited in a calm and quiet way, assuring that the organization would not constitute a threat to Turkey.
Regarding the disarmament of peshmergas, Talabani said that this was the internal issue of Iraq. ''Coalition powers and the new government to be formed in Iraq will decide on the future of peshmergas. In fact, Americans and British people determined peshmergas as their partners. Peshmergas will constitute the main security elements of the country as some peshmergas will work in the Iraqi army, some of them will be in border regions and some of them will work as policemen,'' he said.
Talabani said that PUK was a friend of Turkey, adding that ''we want to develop relations with Turkey in all fields also during the term in office of the new Iraqi government.'' He said they wanted to see Turkey to take part in the reconstruction of Iraq in an active way.
(Öª-AÖ) 09.07.2003