Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
LONDON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Iraq must do more to stop the country being
used as a base for foreign militants seeking to destabilise its neighbours,
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi said in comments published on Monday.
In an interview with Britain's Financial Times, Chalabi acknowledged
Iran's "legitimate concern" about Mujahedin-e Khalq, an Iranian opposition
group operating in Iraq which the United States lists as a terrorist
organisation.
He said there were also concerns in Turkey over bases in northern
Iraq operated by the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
"We should enforce the article in our constitution that Iraq should
not be a transit point or base for destabilising neighbours," Chalabi told
the newspaper. "We should deal with these issues humanely and fairly, but
firmly."
Turkish leaders complain the PKK has a safe-haven in the mountains
of northern Iraq from where rebel commanders direct operations into Turkey.
After more than 20 years of conflict, Turkish forces have failed to
completely quell the PKK's armed campaign for home-rule in the mainly
Kurdish southeast.
On Iran, Chalabi said Tehran had agreed to study his proposal for an
inquiry by British, Iranian and Iraqi representatives into recent violence
in the southern city of Basra.
Chalabi said Britain raised tension in the area by accusing Iran of
helping Iraq militants to plant roadside bombs which killed British troops.
He added that Iran also inflamed the situation with allegations of
British backing for militant Arab separatists in south-west Iran, according
to the FT report.
used as a base for foreign militants seeking to destabilise its neighbours,
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi said in comments published on Monday.
In an interview with Britain's Financial Times, Chalabi acknowledged
Iran's "legitimate concern" about Mujahedin-e Khalq, an Iranian opposition
group operating in Iraq which the United States lists as a terrorist
organisation.
He said there were also concerns in Turkey over bases in northern
Iraq operated by the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
"We should enforce the article in our constitution that Iraq should
not be a transit point or base for destabilising neighbours," Chalabi told
the newspaper. "We should deal with these issues humanely and fairly, but
firmly."
Turkish leaders complain the PKK has a safe-haven in the mountains
of northern Iraq from where rebel commanders direct operations into Turkey.
After more than 20 years of conflict, Turkish forces have failed to
completely quell the PKK's armed campaign for home-rule in the mainly
Kurdish southeast.
On Iran, Chalabi said Tehran had agreed to study his proposal for an
inquiry by British, Iranian and Iraqi representatives into recent violence
in the southern city of Basra.
Chalabi said Britain raised tension in the area by accusing Iran of
helping Iraq militants to plant roadside bombs which killed British troops.
He added that Iran also inflamed the situation with allegations of
British backing for militant Arab separatists in south-west Iran, according
to the FT report.