ANKARA - Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) high-level official Berham Salih will come to Turkey on Thursday to hold a series of meetings.
Diplomatic sources told A.A correspondent that Salih was expected to meet with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal on Friday.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul would not receive Salih, sources said.
During his previous visit to Ankara between September 6 and 7, 2003, Salih met with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ziyal.
The plan, which was submitted to the Iraqi interim Governing Council by Kurdish members is expected to top the agenda of Salih during his visit to Ankara. The plan envisages granting Kurds autonomy for the future administration model in Iraq.
In a statement he released in Suleymaniyah on December 24, Salih said that an administrative unit including three provinces in northern Iraq was envisaged in the plan, claiming that Kirkuk was a significant part of Kurdistan in regard to administration, geographical position and history.
In response to statement of Salih, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said, ''the situation of Kirkuk is clear. The greatest evidence of it was the reaction displayed by all Iraqi groups against attempts to claim Kirkuk. We all see that those who are charged with providing security in the city, have been giving an extremely bad exam. We see that even those who claimed to be the most democratic groups in Iraq could not endure a demonstration.''
During his meeting with Iraqi interim Governing Council member and Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) Chairman Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''Kurds in Iraq have been trying to take oil reserve areas in the north under their influence. We should not allow them. Their dangerous attempt should not be allowed.''
(UK-MS) 15.01.2004