ANKARA - Behruz Galali, the representative of the Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) in Ankara, presented a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, expressing their gratitude to Turkey for the support it extended after terrorist attacks on PUK and Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) buildings in Irbil on February 1.
In his letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Middle East Department Chairperson Serra Erarslan, Galali recalled that a number of people had been killed and wounded in those terrorist attacks, stressing that Turkey was the first country which had helped them after those bloody attacks.
''Forty-three days have passed since the attacks and the Republic of Turkey has spared every effort to help us for forty-three days. Turkey again stood by us in our difficult days just like it did during the Anfal massacre in 1988 and migration of one million Kurds to Turkish border in 1991,'' he said.
Recalling that firstly seven PUK members injured in attacks had been brought to Turkey on February 5 for treatment and they had been followed by fifteen more PUK and KDP members, Galali said that all those people had been treated in Turkey and returned to Iraq as healthy persons.
On behalf of PUK leader Jalal Talabani, I want to express our gratitude to the Turkish Republic state and all Turkish people, he said.
(MS-AÖ) 18.03.2004