Ozgur Politica    (Ozgur Politica is a pro PKK punblication in Turkish)
(Translated Text)
Jan 24, 2001

Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is continuing its attempt to convince the
Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) to agree to joint assaults against the Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK). It has been asserted that agreement was reached on this subject in meeting that
ended last weekend in the town of Kalacolan, which is near the South Kurdistani [Iraqi
Kurdistani] city of Suleymaniya. Delegations from the two parties concluded the meeting
and returned to their respective cities of Suleymaniya and Hewler (Arbil).

PUK television, discussing the results of the meeting, asserted that the two parties had agreed
on the subject of expelling the PKK from the region. The PUK press organ likewise
presented the views of Feridun Abdulkadir from the PUK and Hoshyar Zebari from the
KDP, who attended the Kalacolan meeting, in its weekend edition. Abdulkadir used a harsh
tone against the PKK and said that they wanted to begin a new era in relations with the KDP.
Abdulkadir asserted that the meeting had been arranged in order to solve the existing
problems between the two organizations but also gave important signals concerning the
timing of the meeting. He hinted at the aim of the meeting when he noted that it had come
onto the agenda after Talabani's visits to Ankara and Selahaddin.

Abdulkadir said that the Washington process was de facto nonfunctioning now and that,
therefore, he was in favor of reviving the Ankara Process, thus repeating comments that PUK
leader Talabani had made while in Ankara.

KDP politburo member Hoshyar Zebari also expressed similar views. Commenting to the
PUK press organ, Zebari said that they wanted to find solutions to the existing problems
between the two organizations and that discussions were being conducted on administrative
and political questions, which are two issues that major debates have centered on. Answering
a question concerning their stance towards the PKK, Zebari summarized his views as
follows: "There is no change in our stance towards the PKK. The PKK is intervening in the
affairs of the Kurdistan government. It is an organization from outside of South Kurdistan."

A joint declaration was released at the conclusion of the meeting, which lasted over an hour,
of the PUK and KDP delegations led by party politburo members Fuat Mahsum and Sami
Abdurrahman respectively. The statement drew attention to the necessity of implementing
the decisions reached in the Washington Agreement, which the two sides had signed in
September 1998, and also asserts, "The PKK is a terrorist organization and is causing crises
in the region." The statement likewise called attention to the importance of the media in the
peace the two sides wish to secure, and concluded that "an important step for peace has been
taken."

Following the meeting, PUK Fuat Mahsum and KDP Sami Abdurrahman held a press
conference in which each said that they had been pleased with the meeting and had defended
"peace and brotherhood." Abdurrahman said, "We made priority of the issues that are
important for both sides and opened up debate on them." Others who also participated in the
meeting are KDP politburo members Boher Namiq and
Zahim Ali, as well as members from the KDP Central Committee Arif Tayfur, Mesud Salebi
and Brusk Nur Shavais, and KDP leader Barzani's assistant Falakedin Kakayi.
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The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com