Ankara: We Expect The U.S. To Fulfill Its Commitments As Soon As Possible

ANKARA - Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Namik Tan said on Wednesday that the United States had made commitments bound to mutual understanding about eradication of the terrorist organization PKK from the northern part of Iraq and stressed that they expected the United States to fulfil those commitments as soon as possible.
Asked whether the United States` attitude regarding fight against the terrorist organization PKK in the north of Iraq satisfied Turkey in a weekly news conference, Tan said that the organization was described as terrorist organization in the annual terror report of the U.S. State Department and it was declared as terrorist organization under the U.S. laws.
Stating that within this framework, many high-level officials, particularly U.S. President George W. Bush had said that north of Iraq would be purified from terrorist elements, Tan said that the United States had made commitments bound to mutual understanding about effective fight against PKK terrorists in Iraq and elimination of them so they expected the United States to fulfil those commitments as soon as possible.
Asked whether any initiative had been launched regarding the issue, Tan said that they were always in contact with the United States and Ankara`s opinions were conveyed to Washington on every occasion.
(MS-AÖ) 10.03.2004