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12 November 1998

TEXT: KURDISH PARTIES OF N. IRAQ ISSUE JOINT DECLARATION

(Parties recommit to the principles of the Ankara Statements) (610)
Washington -- The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan (PUK) issued a joint declaration recommitting to
the principles of the Ankara Statements embodied in the September 17
Joint Statement by the two parties in Washington, State Department
Spokesman James P. Rubin announced November 10.
Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom, as co-sponsors of
the Ankara Process, welcomed the action, saying, "With this joint
statement, efforts at reconciliation between the KDP and the PUK have
reached an important new stage."
Rubin said the co-sponsors "welcome the clear commitment by the KDP
and PUK to deny sanctuary to the PKK, to eliminate all PKK bases from
the region, and to safeguard the Turkish border."
The governments of the co-sponsors also "recognize the statesmanlike,
cooperative achievement of Mr. Barzani and Mr. Talabani in making
possible this initiative. We welcome their visit to Ankara and suggest
that they continue their involvement in the Ankara Process and
implementation of its goals," Rubin said.
Following is the State Department text:
(Begin text)
U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
November 10, 1998
STATEMENT BY JAMES P. RUBIN, SPOKESMAN
Joint Declaration
Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom, as co-sponsors of
the Ankara Process, welcome the recommitment to the principles of the
Ankara Statements embodied in the September 17 Joint Statement by the
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
(PUK) in Washington. With this joint statement, efforts at
reconciliation between the KDP and the PUK have reached an important
new stage.
Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom reiterate the
importance of preserving the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.
We are particularly pleased to note the prominence the KDP and the PUK
accord this principle in their joint statement. Within this context,
we note that arrangements to implement the Ankara Statements and the
Joint Statement have the objective of an interim solution for the
current temporary situation in northern Iraq.
Clearly, the co-sponsors as well as the parties believe that key
decisions on Iraq's future should be made by all the Iraqi people
together at an appropriate time and as part of a regular political
process. The Ankara Statements and the Joint Statement are thus meant
to implement a framework of regional administration until key
decisions about the political system of Iraq can be made by the Iraqi
people within a united Iraq. We welcome the Joint Statement as an
important step in that direction.
We also welcome the clear commitment by the KDP and PUK to deny
sanctuary to the PKK, to eliminate all PKK bases from the region, and
to safeguard the Turkish border. Turkey's legitimate security concerns
and its right to defend itself against terrorism should be respected.
We look forward to full implementation of these and other provisions
in the Joint Statement and Ankara Statements designed to eliminate
terrorism.
We recognize the possible role of humanitarian, non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) in supporting the goals of the Ankara Statements.
In the past, the activities of some NGOs in northern Iraq may not have
conformed with their status. The Government of Turkey has established
principles to regulate the passage of NGO workers to the region.
Finally, our governments wish to recognize the statesmanlike,
cooperative achievement of Mr. Barzani and Mr. Talabani in making
possible this initiative. We welcome their visit to Ankara and suggest
that they continue their involvement in the Ankara Process and
implementation of its goals.
(End text)