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Rice in Turkey for Kurdish talks US declares PKK 'a common enemy'
(about 8 hours later)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to hold talks in Ankara in an effort to stave off any military push by Turkey into northern Iraq. The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, has said Turkey and the United States share a common enemy in the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Ms Rice will urge Ankara not to use force against Kurdish separatist rebels who have been launching strikes into Turkey from bases across the border. Ms Rice said the fight against the Kurdish separatist rebels would require persistence and commitment, after talks with the Turkish government in Ankara.
Ms Rice described the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as a "common enemy" of Turkey, Iraq and the US. The meeting was aimed at averting major military operations by Turkey against PKK fighters based in northern Iraq.
Turkey has massed 100,000 troops near the border and has threatened action. Turkey has threatened to send in troops if it does not see any concrete action.
Speaking en route to Ankara, Ms Rice said she understood the need to act against the PKK. Nearly 50 Turkish soldiers have died in clashes with Kurdish fighters in the last month and the government is under huge public pressure to respond with force.
However, she added: "Anything that would destabilise the north of Iraq is not going to be in Turkey's interests, it is not going to be in our interests and it is not going to be in the Iraqis' interests." 'Very difficult problem'
We have doubts about the sincerity of the administration in northern Iraq in the struggle against the terrorist organisation Ali BabacanTurkish foreign minister Speaking at a news conference after talks with the Turkish president, prime minister and foreign minister, Ms Rice said the US was committed to redoubling its efforts to eliminate the threat to Turkey from the PKK.
Ms Rice's visit to Turkey is the latest effort by the US to dampen rising Turkish anger over PKK activities. This is where the words end and action needs to start Ali BabacanTurkish Foreign Minister class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7073718.stm">Turkish anger mounts class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3767&edition=1">Send us your comments
A series of deadly recent attacks by the separatists have put the Turkish government under huge pressure to respond with force, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford, in Ankara. "I affirmed to the prime minister as well as to the foreign minister that the United States considers the PKK a terrorist organisation and indeed that we have a common enemy, that we must find ways to take effective action so that Turkey will not suffer from terrorist attacks," she said.
Ms Rice will meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Abdullah Gul and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. "That is destabilising for Iraq, it's a problem therefore of security for the United States and Turkey and we will work together to achieve our goals," she added.
Early next week the Turkish prime minister is due in Washington for talks with US President George W Bush. "This is going to take persistence and it is going to take commitment. This is a very difficult problem... Rooting out terrorism is hard."
CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS 29 Sept: 13 Turkish people killed in ambush on minibus in south-eastern Sirnak province7 Oct: 13 Turkish soldiers killed by PKK fighters17 Oct: Turkish parliament approves use of force against PKK in northern Iraq21 Oct: 12 Turkish soldiers killed by PKK fighters. Eight soldiers captured24 Oct: Turkish jets bomb PKK positions, according to Turkish news agency Is Turkey planning invasion?
Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ali Babacan, said Ms Rice's visit marked the start of close co-operation between the Nato allies.
"This is where the words end and action needs to start," he said.
Ms Rice gave little detail of any concrete steps the US planned to take, but said current activities, such as the sharing of intelligence, would be enhanced and referred to a "comprehensive approach" that is currently being discussed.
She also underlined that any steps taken by Turkey, whether military or otherwise, had to be effective and reinforce the goal of a stable and secure Iraq on Turkey's border.
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Ankara says Ms Rice's visit will set the tone for a meeting between the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and US President George W Bush on Monday in Washington.
Economic sanctionsEconomic sanctions
Some new measures aimed against the PKK have already been implemented. On Wednesday, the Turkish government announced it had begun to implement new military, political, diplomatic and economic measures to combat the PKK.
THE PKK Formed in late 1970sLaunched armed struggle in 1984Dropped independence demands in 1990sWants greater autonomy for Turkey's KurdsLeader Abdullah Ocalan arrested in 1999Ended five-year ceasefire in 2004Called a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and US Profile: The PKK The US says it is now providing increased intelligence to help the Turkish military locate PKK positions. THE PKK Formed in late 1970sLaunched armed struggle in 1984Dropped independence demands in 1990sWants greater autonomy for Turkey's KurdsLeader Abdullah Ocalan arrested in 1999Ended five-year ceasefire in 2004Called a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and US Profile: The PKK
Turkey has imposed limited economic sanctions against northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish government in an attempt to force the authorities there into action, and has continued air strikes against rebel bases on Turkish territory. Although no details were given about the economic measures, correspondents say they may result in a boycott of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq, which Ankara says is failing to rein in the activities of the PKK.
The Kurdish leadership in Iraq has pledged to step up checkpoint security in an effort to root out the rebels. The move came after Iraq pledged to step up checkpoint security in an effort to deny the movement of the PKK and cut off its supply lines.
The US also said it had stepped up its supply of "actionable intelligence" to the Turkish military to help it locate PKK positions in northern Iraq.
Turkish officials are demanding the closure of PKK camps in Iraq and want the group's leaders arrested.Turkish officials are demanding the closure of PKK camps in Iraq and want the group's leaders arrested.
Ms Rice says Iraq's Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani has pledged to disassociate his administration from the PKK - but Turkey remains sceptical. Ms Rice says the Kurdish President, Masoud Barzani, has pledged to disassociate his administration from the PKK - but Turkey remains sceptical.
"We have doubts about the sincerity of the administration in northern Iraq in the struggle against the terrorist organisation," the Associated Press quoted Turkey's foreign minister as saying."We have doubts about the sincerity of the administration in northern Iraq in the struggle against the terrorist organisation," the Associated Press quoted Turkey's foreign minister as saying.
However, any military operation would target PKK bases, and would not be a general invasion, Mr Babacan added.However, any military operation would target PKK bases, and would not be a general invasion, Mr Babacan added.