VZCZCXRO7618
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2123 1782111
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 272111Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1912
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 002123
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IZ PGOV PREL TU
SUBJECT: KRG PRESIDENT ISSUES STATEMENT DENYING
INTERFERENCE IN TURKISH INTERNAL AFFAIRS
REF: A. BAGHDAD 2090
B. STATE 87965
1. Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani
issued a statement on June 27 clarifying Kurdish
non-interference in Turkish affairs (see reftels for
context). The following is the text of the statement as
e-mailed to the Embassy.
2. Begin text:
Sent on Wednesday June 27, 2007
In a clarification, the Presidency of the Region of
Kurdistan denied that it is interfering in the internal
affairs of Turkey with the approaching elections there.
The Statement by the Presidency of the Region stated the
following:
With the approaching Turkish elections to be held next
July, there are rumors that we are interfering in the
internal affairs of Turkey and that we have certain
influences over the Turkish elections.
We emphasize that we did not interfere in the internal
affairs of Turkey and we will not have a negative influence
on the future of the elections. On the contrary despite
the attempts of the Turkish authorities to obstruct
development and progress in the region of Kurdistan, we
have always tried to keep ourselves far from the internal
problems of Turkey.
Although we have repeatedly been accused of helping and
assisting the PKK, we reiterate again that we have not
supported and assisted this party with logistics or in any
other way, but instead we have tried to build friendly
relations with all of the political and social components
in Turkey. This is because we do not encourage any
interference in the affairs of any country and we do not
condone the use of violence to solve problems, but instead
have always chosen dialogue and mutual understanding in
solving them.
If we are called upon to cooperate and support any
political process that serves peace and peaceful
coexistence and strengthen good-neighborly relations
between the region of Kurdistan and Turkey, we would be
ready. We are fully convinced that friendship,
good-neighborliness and cooperation are the only way
through which we will be able to coexist with Turkey - or
any other neighboring country - on the basis of common
interests and respect for others, and to answer all
accusations.
The Spokesman for the Presidency of the Region of Kurdistan
June 26, 2007
End Text.
CROCKER