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Iraq 'will arrest Kurdish rebels' Iraq vows to arrest PKK rebels
(about 3 hours later)
Iraq says it is ready to track down and arrest Kurdish rebel leaders responsible for cross-border raids into Turkey from northern Iraq. Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki says Baghdad is ready to pursue and arrest the Kurdish rebel leaders carrying out cross-border raids into Turkey from northern Iraq.
Government spokesman Ali Dabbagh also said Baghdad was prepared to take joint action with Ankara against the fighters of the PKK. Mr Maliki also said his government would not rule out taking joint action with Ankara against the PKK fighters.
The pledge was made at international talks in Turkey on security in Iraq. The pledge was made at international talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul on the issue of Iraq's security.
Iraq's six neighbours are gathering with diplomats from the UN, G8 and international Arab and Islamic groups. Iraq's six neighbours gathered with diplomats from the UN, G8 and international Arab and Islamic groups.
Attending the talks in Istanbul, Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki said his country should not be used a base for attacks against neighbours. Attending the one-day conference in Istanbul, Mr Maliki said his country should not be used as a base for attacks against neighbours.
"We will co-operate with our neighbours in defeating this threat," he said."We will co-operate with our neighbours in defeating this threat," he said.
After the talks, Mr Maliki's office said in a statement to Reuters news agency: "The prime minister renewed the willingness of the Iraqi government to take steps to isolate the terrorist PKK, prevent any help reaching its members, chase and arrest them, and put them in front of the Iraqi judiciary because of their terrorist activities."
Mr Maliki's spokesman said Baghdad did not rule out joint military action with Ankara, although Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari stressed such a measure was not imminent.
'Clearly unacceptable''Clearly unacceptable'
Ali Dabbagh was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying: "There are security measures being taken, the checking of any suspect officer of the PKK in the Kurdistan region and in all Iraq." But analysts say Baghdad has little influence over the semi-autonomous Kurdish regions in the north, and the success of its pledges will depend on the co-operation of Kurdish authorities.
"They will be arrested," he added. Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops on its southern border for a possible offensive to eliminate Kurdish rebel bases in Iraq.
Meanwhile, authorities in Iraq closed an office in Irbil on Saturday of the Kurdistan Democratic Solution, a political party which Turkey says is a front for the Kurdish rebels. Meanwhile, authorities in Iraq have closed an office in Irbil of the Kurdistan Democratic Solution, a political party which Turkey says is a front for the Kurdish rebels.
The party secretary, Fayaq Gulpi, said: "The security forces in Irbil entered our office, expelled all our party members and our sympathisers then closed the office."The party secretary, Fayaq Gulpi, said: "The security forces in Irbil entered our office, expelled all our party members and our sympathisers then closed the office."
Irbil is the seat of government for Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, and lies 350km (217 miles) north of Baghdad. Irbil is the seat of government for Iraq's Kurdish region, and lies 350km (217 miles) north of Baghdad.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said at the talks in Istanbul that attacks launched on Turkish forces from Iraq were "clearly unacceptable". At the Istanbul talks, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said attacks launched on Turkish forces from Iraq were "clearly unacceptable".
"The governments of Iraq and Turkey must work hard to address this challenge and I am confident that a mutually acceptable solution can be found," he said."The governments of Iraq and Turkey must work hard to address this challenge and I am confident that a mutually acceptable solution can be found," he said.
Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops on its southern border for a possible offensive to eliminate Kurdish rebel bases in Iraq.
ThreatsThreats
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the meeting: "Our objective is to have an Iraq that has stability and safety and that does not create threats for its neighbours."Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the meeting: "Our objective is to have an Iraq that has stability and safety and that does not create threats for its neighbours."
BBC world affairs correspondent Nick Childs says the Iraqi authorities are anxious that Saturday's one-day conference remains focused on broader questions of security and stability in Iraq, and how the outside world can help. BBC world affairs correspondent Nick Childs says the Iraqi authorities had wanted the talks to focus on broader questions of security and stability in Iraq, and how the outside world could help.
They hope hints of a recent downturn of violence in Iraq may encourage greater outside engagement, says our correspondent. An earlier round of talks on the same topic was held in Egypt in May, when an agreement in principle was reached to forgive Iraq some $30bn (£14.4bn) in debts.
The first round of talks was held in Egypt in May, when an agreement in principle was reached to forgive Iraq some $30bn (£14.4bn) in debts.
The trouble is many of the participants in Istanbul have different views of how they want to see Iraq develop politically, says our correspondent.
Turkey wants Washington to do more to deter PKK activity from Iraq
The Saudis and the Iranians, for example, regard each other suspiciously but they find common ground in not wanting to see Iraq unstable and broken up.
A lot of interest will again be focused on the chemistry between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her counterparts from two significant regional players with which Washington is at odds, Iran and Syria.
Those attending the conference include representatives of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, the Arab League and the Islamic Conference Organisation.
Turkey is pressing Washington to do more to stem PKK activity from Iraq, where the organisation is thought to have about 3,000 rebels based.Turkey is pressing Washington to do more to stem PKK activity from Iraq, where the organisation is thought to have about 3,000 rebels based.
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan met Condoleezza Rice in Ankara on Friday and the pair are due to hold more talks on Saturday, with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari also attending. On the sidelines of the Istanbul meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan was expected to hold talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
But analysts expect that any major announcement about the border situation will be kept for a summit between President George W Bush and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan being held in Washington on Monday. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is meeting President George W Bush in Washington on Monday.