Turkey calls for more Iraqi contribution in fight against PKK

Iraqi Kurdish regional government is making better cooperation with Turkey in fight against PKK compared with previous years, but still "not enough," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu said Tuesday.

The remarks came after a recent surge in Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK)'s attacks in southeast and east Turkey, and the relationship between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdish regional government is also under the threat of the escalating attacks.

The semi-official Anatolia news agency reported Tuesday that 12 rebels of the outlawed PKK were killed in an armed clash with Turkish security forces in southeastern Turkey.

The report quoted Turkish armed forces as saying that the PKK might intensify attacks over the summer when more PKK guerrillas arrive in Turkey from the mountainous areas in northern Iraq during warmer weather.

Meanwhile, chief of Turkey's General Staff Ilker Basbug said Monday that PKK's presence will negatively affect Turkish-Iraqi relations and, to some extent, Turkish-U.S. relations in the upcoming term.


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