In the wake of increasing tension due to a series of illegal demonstrations by supporters of the terrorist organization PKK over the past few weeks, Turkey's interior minister had talks yesterday with Iraqi and US officials at a meeting held in Baghdad to coordinate counterterrorism efforts against the PKK.
A trilateral committee was formed in Baghdad in November 2008 by senior Iraqi, Turkish and US officials to combat the PKK. The November 2008 meeting was also attended by two representatives from the regional administration in the North of Iraq, including regional Interior Minister Karim Sinjari.
Speaking to reporters ahead of his departure from Ankara for Baghdad, Interior Minister Beşir Atalay, said considerable progress has been made through the trilateral committee's meetings which discuss steps to be taken and elements of cooperation for eliminating the presence of the PKK in Iraq.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by the EU, the US and Turkey, has bases in northern Iraq.
The PKK's activities are harming the democratization initiative launched by the government which also envisions expanding rights for the Kurdish people of the country.
In October, the PKK turned over eight of its members to Turkish authorities at the Habur border gate, a groundbreaking move that may lead to the laying down of arms by the PKK, strengthening the hand of the government in its recently launched democratization package to end the country's decades-old problem. Twenty-six from Makhmur also returned with the group, bringing the total of October returnees to 34.
Contacts are held in Arbil on Monday
Atalay proceeded today to the northern Iraqi province of Arbil accompanied by Iraqi National Security Minister Shirwan al-Waili who also participated in yesterday's talks in Baghdad.
Atalay had a one-hour tête-à-tête meeting there with leader of the Regional Administration Mesud Barzani taking up necessary measures for dissolving Makhmur and Qandil camps and eradication of terror.
The Turkish minister later met premier of the Regional Administration Barham Ahmad Salih.
Atalay will inform the Cabinet on his contacts upon completing his contacts.
Turkey, Iraq and the United States have agreed to set up a joint command center in Arbil in January to gather intelligence to fight the PKK. While in Arbil, Atalay will visit the center used for intelligence sharing for operational purposes. Atalay called his planned meetings with Iraqi Kurdish officials in Arbil as a continuation of the trilateral meeting in Baghdad.
Meanwhile, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday that four PKK members had surrendered to security forces in Silopi, a town in the southeastern Anatolian province of Şırnak. The four, one of whom was female, were sent to Diyarbakır after being questioned by a prosecutor, Anatolia said.