ANKARA, Feb 9 (AFP) - Turkey urged Iraq Wednesday to take steps to make up for irregularities and low turnout in some areas in the January 30 elections in order to ensure the fair representation of all ethnic and religious groups in the country's administration.
"It is a fact that some irregularities occurred in the elections... We also regret that the participation of some groups was not at the desired level," foreign ministry spokesman Namik Tan told a news conference.
"We believe the election results will fail to reflect in parliament the true representation proportions," Tan said. "Therefore, certain measures will be necessary so that the Iraqis are able to have a properly functioning democracy in the period ahead of us."
He declined to elaborate what specific measures should be considered.
The announcement of the official results from the elections, initially set for Thursday, is likely to be delayed.
Ankara is particularly irked by the prospect of large Kurdish gains in the ethnically volatile oil-rich city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, which many Kurds want to see as the capital of an independent Kurdish state, a nightmare scenario for neighboring Turkey.
Ankara's suspicions over Kurdish plans were reinforced when large numbers of Kurds said to have been expelled from Kirkuk under Saddam Hussein were allowed to settle and vote in the city in the polls, despite protests by rival ethnic groups that many of them have no bonds with Kirkuk.
"It is important to prove to the Iraqis and the international community that one cannot reach anywhere by way of unlawfulness," Tan said. "We believe this carries a great importance for Iraq's future."
Ankara has voiced concerns that the elections results may trigger ethnic strife in Kirkuk, home also to a large number of Turkish-speaking Turkmens, and that such a development could force it to take action.
Kurdish leaders have hit back, warning Ankara not to interfere in Iraq's internal affairs.
"As neighbors of Iraq we are the ones who feel all the heat of the fire there," Tan said. "It is our right to pay attention and this has nothing to do with interference in internal affairs."
Ankara fears that independence-minded Kurdish moves in northern Iraq will embolden separatism across the border in southeastern Turkey, where a Kurdish rebellion has already claimed some 37,000 lives.

02/09/2005 13:37 GMT - AFP