ABDURRAHMAN: ''FEDERATION ON BASIS OF ETHNIC ROOTS CAUSES DIVISION OF IRAQ''
ANKARA - Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Chairman Faruk Abdurrahman has said that a federation on basis of ethnic roots in Iraq would cause division of Iraq and a federation comprising eighteen states would preserve Iraq's unity.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received ITF Chairman Abdurrahman.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Abdurrahman said that they had held a quite positive meeting and they had stressed importance of preservation of Iraq's unity and territorial integrity.
Recalled of Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani's words about protection of rights of Turkmens, Abdurrahman said that the important thing was not the statement, but implementation and stressed that he hoped they would be safe after seeing practices.
Recalled of news about Israel's activities in north of Iraq, Abdurrahman said that there was not any concrete document proving such activities, so rumors should not be taken into consideration. Abdurrahman said that those claims should be supported by concrete evidences and documents.
Replying to a question, Abdurrahman said that they did not approve of foundation of a federation on basis of ethnic roots in Iraq.
''Federation based on ethnic roots causes division of Iraq. We earlier stated that a federation on basis of eighteen states would preserve Iraq's unity and territorial integrity,'' he said.
Replying to another question about status of Kirkuk, Abdurrahman said that Kirkuk had a special status, adding that Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds and Assyrians living in Kirkuk should return to the 1957 census to say ''they were residents of Kirkuk in the literal sense''.
Stressing that transfer of authority on June 30 in Iraq and general elections planned to be held after the transfer were very important for Iraq, Abdurrahman added that all Iraqi people should be in unity during that critical period. ''It is the duty of all of us to prevent fraternal fighting.''
(MS-AÖ) 23.06.2004