Turkey: ready to cooperate with Iraq to fight PKK

KUWAIT, Aug 13 (KUNA) -- Turkey said Thursday it was ready to join hands with Iraq to crack down on Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara considered a "terrorist" group.
Turkey will take necessary measures to protect its border security "if Iraq continues to ignore presence of PKK elements on its territories," the foreign ministry said in a statement, picked up in Kuwait.
PKK elements, it said, were targetting Turkey from their positions inside the Iraqi territories for many years. "The existence of the organization is in itself a challenge to Iraq's sovereignty, territorial unity and stability," it said.
The Turkish position after two days after the Iraqi announced killing of two officers in a Turkish air raid in northern Iraq, prompting the foreign ministry in Baghdad to cancel a visit by Turkish defense minister in protest. (end) rs.bs