Nechirvan Barzani gives three messages in Ankara  We are for the granting of Kurdish rights within united Iraq  We have no evidence proving Jund-ul Islam's links with Bin Laden  You use Habour as a red card against us

Massoud Barzani-led Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) reiterated its commitment to
the territorial integrity of Iraq in Ankara, demanding Turkey "to stop using the Habour
border gate as a red card" against themselves, a leading official of the Iraqi Kurdish
party said on Monday. 

In an exclusive interview with the Turkish Daily News on Monday in Ankara, Nechirvan
Barzani, head of the local government in Northern Iraq stated that they felt that there
was a misunderstanding among Turkish officials about the KDP. 

"Perhaps, there was false information from whatever circles, maybe from the region,"
Barzani told TDN. 

Turkey has been declaring its concerns regarding the possibility of the establishment
of an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq and repeated remarks came from
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit that any development concerning northern Iraq will
negatively affect Ankara. 

Stopping in Ankara on his way to Europe, Barzani met with senior officials from the
Middle East Department of the Turkish Foreign Ministry and tried to ease Turkey's
concerns which were strongly expressed by Turkish officials. 

Barzani was received by Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. 

Three key messages given by KDP to Turkish officials are as follows: 

Iraqi Kurdish problem should be solved inside a united Iraq, 
The KDP had no evidence proving the claim that the Jund-ul Islam group was
being directed by Osama Bin Laden, 
Ankara uses Habour border gate as a red card against the KDP. 

Technical experts to meet for Habour 

Turkish officials and the KDP decided to meet with technical experts for solving the
deadlock concerning trade through the Habour border gate. 

Diesel trade through the Habour border gate stopped recently and KDP argues that
there is a political attitude against themselves. 

Position on PKK remain unchanged 

Barzani told TDN that their position on the PKK remains unchanged. "We still consider
the PKK as a terrorist organization," he said. 

However, the rejection of KDP for launching crossborder operations against the PKK
in lands controlled by itself created anger in Ankara among military officials and
Turkish military assets were pulled back, regional sources stated. 

Turkey deployed its land forces troops, but not the gendarmerie, along the southern
border. 
-----------------------------