ANKARA - Ankara will express its reservations about Iraqi Kurds` demand for forming a federation on ethnic-basis in Iraq during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s visit to the United States.
Diplomatic sources said on Monday that Turkey would explain its views about Iraq`s future at the meetings to be held during Erdogan`s visit to the United States at the end of January.
A high-ranking official said that there were inconsistency between what was told in Washington and what was made in Iraq, adding that this inconsistency would be expressed during the meetings and U.S. officials would be told that they would harm Iraq, and Iraqi people would have been punished with this attitude.
When recalled the accusations of Iraqi Kurds who claimed that Turkey and other neighboring countries intervened in Iraq`s domestic affairs, the official said that Turkey did not have the intention to intervene in any country`s domestic affairs, adding that however if Iraqi Kurds caused regional difficulties, then the region had the right to speak.
Iraqi Governing Council is envisioned to complete temporary constitution in the end of February which will be valid after the transfer of administration of the country to Iraqi people.
Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani had earlier stated that as long as they were not assured on gaining ``enlarged autonomy`` in the north of Iraq, they would not support U.S. plan on transition government.
General Staff Deputy Chief General Ilker Basbug had also said that future in Iraq would be very difficult and bloody, if a federal structure in Iraq would be formed with principles depended on ethnic origin.
(GC-AY) 19.01.2004