Turkey - U.S. - Iraq Trilateral Meetings To Continue After Elections In Iraq

ANKARA (AA) - ''Trilateral meeting held between Turkey, the United States and Iraq in order the eradicate terrorist groups in Iraq will continue after the elections to be held in Iraq (on January 30th)'', sources said on Wednesday.
     Sources told A.A correspondent that parties would meet again in a technical-level meeting after the elections.
     On the other hand, after the trilateral meeting held in Turkish capital of Ankara yesterday (Tuesday), Turkish Foreign Ministry officials headed by Osman Koruturk, Turkey's Special Representative to Iraq, met U.S. delegation headed by Laura Kennedy, the U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs.
     Turkish diplomats are expected to meet the Iraqi delegation headed by Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Hamid al-Bayati, today (Wednesday).
     Yesterday's meeting among Turkey, the United States and Iraq was the first trilateral meeting to eliminate the terrorist organization.
    
     -TERRORIST ORGANIZATION PKK CONCERN IN ELECTIONS-
     Participation of two parties connected to the terrorist organization PKK in the Iraqi elections is one of the matter concerning Turkey, it was learned.
     Turkey, which expressed its uneasiness about this matter during yesterday's trilateral meeting, asked that two parties named ''Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party'' and ''Iraqi Democratic Reconstruction Party'' be banned in the elections.
     Investigation into these two parties included in the election list has been launched upon Ankara's demand.
     Drawing attention that the terrorist organization PKK tried to politicize the new process in Iraq, the sources quoted U.S. and Iraqi officials who joined yesterday's meeting as saying that they were trying to convince the Iraqi Independent Election Commission to deal with this matter.
    
     -LIST FROM ANKARA-
     Meanwhile, Ankara submitted a list to the parties participating in yesterday's meeting. This list included Ankara's demands regarding the removal of terrorist organization PKK elements from the region. Extradition of members of the terrorist organization including Osman Ocalan, wanted by red and blue bulletins, is among Ankara's demands.
     There is a judicial assistance agreement signed between Turkey and Iraq in 1989 and entered into force in 1995. In yesterday's meeting, Iraqi officials stated that this agreement was still valid, it was learned.
     (BRC-ULG)
2005-01-12