Ankara to US regarding Barzani: Quiet him down, or we will
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 10, 2007 13:29
Following statements made by northern Iraqi leader Masud Barzani last week regarding "interfering in Diyarbakir" if Turkey was to intervene in Kirkuk, the tension has risen in Ankara, with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday telling US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice by phone this weekend "Make this man be quiet. The things he is saying are unacceptable."
Yesterday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry sent the new Baghdad administration a very sharp diplomatic note regarding Barzani's statements. The note from Ankara, speculated by some to be a "final ultimatum," was send to Baghdad via the Iraqi Ambassador to Ankara, Sabah Umran; implicit in this message was the additional point that Ankara would continue their refusal to address Barzani directly, preferring to go through the central Baghdadi government. Following reception of the note, Iraqi President Jelal Talabani reportedly phoned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in what sources say was an attempt to "soften the atmosphere." The National Security Council (MGK) meeting taking place today is expected to take the issue into hand.