Daily News: Syrian, Iran, Turkish and the Kurdish issue

The Turkish daily, Daily News, said that Syria, Turkey and Iran are sharing the same concern relating to the possibility that Kurdish residents in these countries will ask for a self rule similar to the current situation prevailing in North Iraq.

In its Monday's issue, the paper said that the Turkish officials will make it clear to the US under secretary of state Elizabeth Jones during her visit which started on Sunday to Turkey that there is a red line the Kurds should not cross in Northern Iraq, and that Ankara will be forced to interfere in the region in case the Kurds violate this red line.

The paper indicated that Turkey will ask the Iraqi deputy prime minister, who will start today his talks in Ankara, to get a "clean bill from the UN inspectors on that Iraq is free from mass destruction weapons so as to avoid a grave American attack." The paper quoted Turkish officials as saying that Turkey, and despite its opposition to attacking Iraq, will be obliged to cooperate with the US in case a military operation is launched against Iraq.