KRG PRESIDENT ISSUES STATEMENT DENYING

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