Barzani: We Are Ready To Give Guarantees Demanded By Ankara

ANKARA - Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) regional administration official Nechirvan Barzani said on Friday that they were ready to give guarantees demanded by Ankara.
Barzani told a press conference that founding an independent Kurdistan was not their goal.
Noting that hopes and possibilities were two different things, Barzani said that these two things could not always be in harmony.
Barzani stated that they could understand national security interests of Turkey and that they were ready to give assurances demanded by Ankara.
They did not have any problem with the Turkmens living in their region, Barzani said.
Despite this, they had some disagreements with the Turkmen Front, Barzani pointed out.
Barzani hoped that they could solve their problems with the Turkmen Front through dialogue.
Kirkuk was in Iraqi Kurdistan geographically, Barzani said and noted that the people living there had to altogether take a decision about the future of that city.
Barzani said that many people were thinking that Kirkuk's importance stemmed from oil. However, he stated, this was of secondary importance for them.
Noting that they were against any probable regional operation on Iraqi territories, Barzani pointed out that such an intervention would cause more problems for the regional people.
Upon a question on a possible U.S. operation on Iraq, Barzani said that they hoped that the problems would be solved peacefully. He noted that Kurds were one of those who had suffered the most from mass destructive weapons.
On a question about efforts of terrorist organization KADEK to join Kurdish parliament, Barzani said, ''I can frankly say that PKK or KADEK are not elements in political life of Iraqi Kurdistan.''
Responding to another question, Barzani confirmed that there were a small group of PKK terrorists in the region under their control. But, he said, this did not mean that KDP backed the terrorists.
Reiterating that they did not intent to found an independent Kurdistan, Barzani said that they were always trying to be frank and realistic about this issue.
Noting that they knew geopolitical conditions of the region, Barzani noted that they wanted to be an element of stability instead of an element of instability.
Barzani said, ''hopes and possibilities are two different things. They may not always be in harmony. We do not have a hidden agenda about the region.''
When he was reminded that some Iraqi Kurdish doctors, who wanted to go to the United States, were stopped in Istanbul by Turkish officials, Barzani said that those doctors got U.S. visas but they were stopped in Istanbul by Turkish officials. He claimed that those doctors should not be treated that way.
Asked if the possibility of an intervention of Turkish army in Northern Iraq was removed after their contacts in Ankara, Barzani said that they stressed that they were against any intervention during their contacts.
Barzani noted that they could not see any reason for such an intervention.
Stating that he could not tell that they had solved all the problems, Barzani said that they found a common ground and will to solve the problems.
Barzani said that the election atmosphere was affecting the current situation and that this issue could be used in election campaigns.
''I hope we can take up the relations again after the elections,'' he added.