Neighboring Countries will Ensure Iraq’s Unity

Tan held a press briefing where he disclosed that if Iraq fails to unify then regional countries and the international community would step in. He added that Turkey was aware of the statements of Israel Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, who said, "I do not know for how long we can remain indifferent to Erdogan’s words."

Tan confirmed that journalist Seymour Hersh had breakfast with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on May 27. Hersh’s article ‘Plan B’, which details Israel’s growing links with northern Iraqi Kurds, appears in the June 28 issue of the New Yorker magazine.

Gul commented yesterday on Israel’s activities in northern Iraq. "It is said that these [activities] are not right. If they are right, this is a big risk and it affects entire region."

Ankara thinks that the issue is beyond the scope of the Embassy and defends that a meeting between Israeli-Turkish officials could be useful.