Press Releases

US Embassy Statement
 
Ankara, April 11, 2006

During an April 10 meeting hosted by Turkish Parliamentarians in honor of visiting US Congressman Robert Wexler, an assertion was made that the United States “supports, encourages, and incites” PKK terrorism.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

 

The United States is Turkey’s most active partner in working to defeat PKK terrorism.  One key avenue of our work is in Iraq.  Together, we are striving to help the Iraqis establish a strong and broad national government of a unified Iraq.  Such a government, of a friendly and democratic Iraq, is one that will be able to establish security throughout the country and effectively control its border with Turkey. As President Bush has said, the goal is to ensure that Iraq does not serve as a safe-haven for terrorist groups, including the PKK. A second key area of cooperation is in Europe and it includes law enforcement cooperation, measures to cut off PKK financing and close down front groups, as well as coordination with our European allies to eliminate networks of PKK support.  Third, the United States is actively sharing information with Turkish authorities that they can use in the effort to defeat terrorists in Turkey and to thwart their activities here. This is supported by broad, on-going cooperation in the fight against international terrorism, in which our two countries are close partners.