American Commander Wants Turkish Soldiers in Iraq

The US Ambassador to Turkey, Robert Pearson, and the Turkish General Staff made separate statements about the visit of Abizaid and NATO’s European Allied Forces Commander, General James Jones. Pearson confirmed the need for a stabilizing power in Iraq, but said that there is still some uncertainty about the matter. He added that the bulk of the discussions centered on halting the activities of KADEK (Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress) in northern Iraq.

The office of the Turkish General Staff said, "We exchanged opinions on the unity of forces necessary to establish stability and security in Iraq, and on the possibilities of military cooperation."

Salih Boztas / Ankara / TURKEY