Kurdish autonomy i ready to mediate between Turkey and PKK

Kurdish autonomy is ready to cooperate with Turkey to successfully solve the Kurdish problem, said the head of the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq Massoud Barzani said, CNN Turk channel reported.

"The Kurdish autonomy is ready to mediate between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to solve the Kurdish problem," Barzani said.

Barzani added that the Kurdish administration is prepared to exert pressure on the PKK in order to prevent terrorism in Turkey.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said earlier it is required to use Iraqi security forces and to avoid foreign intervention for an effective fight against the PKK.

In response, Vice President of Iraq Tariq al-Hashimi said Iraq wouldn't be able to defeat terrorism without foreign support.

The Turkish Air Force made air strikes on Northern Iraq to destroy the PKK's bases in August-September 2011 and over 300 militants were killed. The Turkish General Staff said it will carefully track separatists' activities in Northern Iraq and as new targets are detected will launch air operations.

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has lasted for over 25 years, claiming over 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognised as a terrorist organisation by both the UN and the EU.


/Trend/