Talabani: Turkish Drivers Endanger Their Lives For All Iraqi People

ANKARA - Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union for Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK), said on Wednesday that Turkish drivers endangered their lives for all the Iraqi people.
After his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Talabani told reporters that he informed Gul about the recent developments in Iraq.
Talabani said that they demanded that Turkey should increase its trade with Iraq, and laid down a proposal to assure security of Turkish drivers.
PUK leader Talabani refrained from giving information about his proposal, but only said that they were ready to assure lives of Turkish drivers.
Answering a question on opening of a second border gate between Turkey and Iraq, Talabani said that an agreement on the matter had been signed by the parties months ago, and noted that Turkey and Iraq should coordinate more in this matter.
When he was recalled about the press reports that the terrorist organization PKK/Kongra-Gel was dissolved, Talabani said that they had received such information, but ''they would not intervene in internal affairs of PKK''.
Talabani also reiterated his view that general amnesty was the only solution of this problem.
When he was recalled about Ankara's sensitivity about Kirkuk, Talabani said that it was in fact the old Iraqi regime, not themselves, who tried to change the structure of population of this city.
Talabani stated that they favored normalization of the situation, and noted that they did not want any change in the structure of Kirkuk.
Asked where terrorist Osman Ocalan was, Talabani said that he was still in the north of Iraq, but could not give any definite address.
On the other hand, Ankara expressed its sensitivities about not only the terrorist organization PKK/Kongra-Gel but also Kirkuk in the meeting, it was learned.
Sources quoted Gul as saying that Turkey could never accept any cooperation between Iraq and the members of the terrorist organization stationed in the north of this country. In return, the sources said, Talabani stated that they were sensitive about this matter and they did not have any contacts with the terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, Talabani expressed regret over the attacks against Turkish drivers in Iraq, it was learned.
The same sources quoted Talabani as saying that Turkish drivers endangered their lives for all Iraqi people, and therefore, those Turks were very important for them.
(BRC) 08.09.2004