Ankara, PUK Discuss Military Partnership 

U.N. assurance to the Iraqi Kurds 
Oct 27, 2001
Ankara - Turkish Daily News 
 

The members of the Security Council of the United Nations (U.N)  assured the Iraqi Kurds that the money flow into the Kurdish-controlled region within the framework of the oil-for-food formula will not stop, a leading Iraqi Kurdish official said.

Speaking to the Turkish Daily News soon after his two-week-long contacts in New York
and Washington, Barham Saleh of the Jalal Talabani-led Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
(PUK) stated that during his meetings with the representatives of Britain, Norway and
France at the U.N., he was assured about the share of the Iraqi Kurds from the oil-for-food
formula. 

The Kurds in Iraq currently get 13 percent of the income within the framework of the
oil-for-food deal and they were assured for the continuation of that deal. 

Parallel to the assurance from the U.N., the Iraqi Kurdish official reaffirmed that the United
States is committed to its pledge for the security in northern Iraq. 

Saleh not only met with officials from the State Department, Pentagon and other "U.S.
agencies", but also met with Faruk Logoglu, Turkish Ambassador in Washington, who is
also an expert on Iraqi affairs. 

Boosting of military relations 

Saleh was received by Ugur Ziyal, the Foreign Ministry undersecretary and met with
officials from the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and General Staff. 

Saleh was reluctant to speak about the increasing military relations, it was stated that the
military relations between his PUK and Ankara were about to shift to a better level of
relations. 

After the rift between Turkey and the Massoud Barzani-led Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP) on military issues, the Turkish side placed a new phase of ties with the PUK on
security issues. 

Saleh stated that the reconciliation between KDP and PUK was key to the security of the
region. 

Hence, Hoshyar Zebari of the KDP and Saleh attended to joint meetings in Washington,
where the future of relations was discussed. 
Asked about his impression on the internal debate in Washington, whether to attack Iraq or
not, which was ruled out by Secretary of State Colin Powell, Saleh, who met with numerous
key U.S. officials, said that it is premature to discuss attacks against Iraq. 

"The priority of Washington is Afghanistan. But of course, we talked about the new threat
perceptions concerning the region," Saleh said, referring to an earlier guarantee given by
Powell to Talabani and Barzani in separate letters in May. 
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