Oct 20, 2007 Medalist Online
Talabani slams Assad for Damascus’ promise to support Turkish incursion in northern Iraq. DUBAI - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani slammed his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad's support for a possible Turkish incursion into Kurdistan Region to tackle Kurdish guerrillas, a newspaper said on Saturday.
"President Assad's remarks are dangerous and run contrary to the spirit of Arab solidarity," Talabani, himself a Kurd, was quoted as saying in an interview with the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat.
"Usually I would refrain from commenting on Syrian positions in order to preserve our historic ties, but this time I am unable to support this dangerous crossing of red lines."
On Wednesday Assad said he would support a Turkish incursion into northern Iraq against Turkish Kurdish rebels, calling such action Ankara's "legitimate right."
"How can the president of an Arab state support military intervention against the Iraqi republic?" Talabani was quoted as asking. "This is a serious matter and damaging to relations between the two countries.
"The Syrian president should have commented as the Americans and Europeans did, saying they preferred a diplomatic solution, even if he understands the Turkish position."
"I have personally visited Syria, and our two countries have joint commissions working on current projects. I am really astounded at this unfriendly stance taken by Syria," Talabani told the daily.
Assad is the first Arab leader to come out in favour of Turkish action against PKK bases in Iraq.
The PKK, which has waged a 23-year armed campaign for Kurdish self-rule in southeast Turkey, is listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community.
Assad later finetuned his position, calling on Ankara to give Baghdad a chance to tackle the rebels.
"The problem cannot be resolved by being considered only as a military and security problem. Results cannot be obtained without the backing of political efforts," the Turkish newspaper Radikal quoted him as saying on Friday.
In January, when Talabani made the first visit to Syria by an Iraqi president for nearly 30 years, Assad pledged that Damascus would work with the Iraqi authorities to "eradicate terrorism."
Talabani slams Assad for Damascus’ promise to support Turkish incursion in northern Iraq. DUBAI - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani slammed his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad's support for a possible Turkish incursion into Kurdistan Region to tackle Kurdish guerrillas, a newspaper said on Saturday.
"President Assad's remarks are dangerous and run contrary to the spirit of Arab solidarity," Talabani, himself a Kurd, was quoted as saying in an interview with the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat.
"Usually I would refrain from commenting on Syrian positions in order to preserve our historic ties, but this time I am unable to support this dangerous crossing of red lines."
On Wednesday Assad said he would support a Turkish incursion into northern Iraq against Turkish Kurdish rebels, calling such action Ankara's "legitimate right."
"How can the president of an Arab state support military intervention against the Iraqi republic?" Talabani was quoted as asking. "This is a serious matter and damaging to relations between the two countries.
"The Syrian president should have commented as the Americans and Europeans did, saying they preferred a diplomatic solution, even if he understands the Turkish position."
"I have personally visited Syria, and our two countries have joint commissions working on current projects. I am really astounded at this unfriendly stance taken by Syria," Talabani told the daily.
Assad is the first Arab leader to come out in favour of Turkish action against PKK bases in Iraq.
The PKK, which has waged a 23-year armed campaign for Kurdish self-rule in southeast Turkey, is listed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community.
Assad later finetuned his position, calling on Ankara to give Baghdad a chance to tackle the rebels.
"The problem cannot be resolved by being considered only as a military and security problem. Results cannot be obtained without the backing of political efforts," the Turkish newspaper Radikal quoted him as saying on Friday.
In January, when Talabani made the first visit to Syria by an Iraqi president for nearly 30 years, Assad pledged that Damascus would work with the Iraqi authorities to "eradicate terrorism."
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