IRAQ / TURKEY: Three Iraqi leaders sign document they say is step towards unity government

Record ID: 560175

  • Title: IRAQ / TURKEY: Three Iraqi leaders sign document they say is step towards unity government
  • Date: 24th December 2007
  • Summary: (BN8) YUKSEKOVA, HAKKARI, TURKEY (DECEMBER 24, 2007) (REUTERS) TURKISH SOLDIERS PATROLLING IN MOUNTAINOUS AREA IN TURKISH IRAQI BORDER VARIOUS OF TURKISH SOLDIERS ON PATROL
  • Embargoed: 8th January 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4HU63P33I8KECXW0KS7H371W8
  • Story Text: Turkish troops continued to patrol the Turkish-Iraqi border on Monday (December 24) after a series of attacks by the Turkish army against Kurdish PKK rebels in northern Iraq on the weekend.
    Meanwhile, across the border, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi and Kurdistan Region President Mas'ud Barzani were meeting near the Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya and agreed to form a coalition between the parties of the three leaders, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the Iraqi Islamic Party and the Kurdistan Democratic Party respectively.
    Talabani told a news conference that the memorandum of understanding was aimed at forming a "real" national unity government, but he gave no details. Sunni Arabs pulled out of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government earlier this year, accusing him of being too sectarian.

    "During this meeting a memorandum of understanding was signed to build a solid relationship between the three parties of which are The Kurdistan Democratic party, the Iraqi Islamic Party, and the Kurdistan National Party. This great step aims to unite Iraq and to realise what has been agreed upon in the past in what is related to the formation of a real national unity government in Iraq ....," Talabani said.
    The three leaders also condemned Turkey's series of strikes against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.

    "This is definitely not acceptable and we strongly condemn this violence which has killed and injured many of our citizens. We have been speaking with the president and we will continue our discussions with various sides to stop these attacks and end the bombings of these villages,"
    Kurdistan region President Mas'ud Barzani said.
    Turkish warplanes targeted Kurdish rebels areas in northern Iraq on Sunday (December 23) for the second day in a row but caused no casualties.
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