VZCZCXRO2282
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1261 1020813
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 120813Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0695
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001261 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS IR TU IZ
SUBJECT: KURDISTAN OFFICIAL:  WE USED THE LANGUAGE OF 
SELF-DEFENSE, NOT THE LANGUAGE OF THREATENING 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 01256 
 
¶1.  The below article highlights statements made by Dr. Fouad 
Hussein, Chief of Staff to Kurdistan Regional Government 
President Massoud Barzani on April 10, 2007, which was posted 
in English on the Kurdish news website Peyamner.com. 
 
¶2.  Begin Text:  National - Kurdistan Official:  We used the 
language of self-defense not the language of threatening (10 
Apr 07, 10:35). 
 
Erbil, Kurdistan region (Iraq), (KUNA) - PNA - An Iraqi 
Kurdish official said on Monday, Kurdish people were seeking 
to have one-to-one dialogue with Turkish leaders to ponder 
over unsettled disputes between both sides. 
 
Fouad Hussein, of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Presidency, said 
in news remarks that Kurdish leaders had extended their hands 
to political leaders in Turkey, and there were several 
efforts to sit and negotiate with them, but, unfortunately, 
Ankara used to respond in the negative.  "If a clear-cut 
invitation is extended to any official in Kurdistan (for a 
meeting), with an unequivocal and articulate agenda, then the 
response will be in the positive.  Relevant efforts were 
exerted, and a date was set for a meeting with Mr. Prime 
Minister of Kurdistan with Turkish officials.  But, 
regrettably, the meeting was canceled at the last moment," he 
said.  However, he affirmed that Kurdish leaders did not 
support Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) elements.  "We have 
repeatedly said that we do not poke our noses into the 
affairs of neither Turkey nor Iran, neither do we back 
violence or PKK elements on the border between Turkey and 
Iraq or the border between Turkey and Iran."  "Kurdish people 
do not use the language of threatening against anybody in our 
political dictionary.  Instead, we used to adopt the language 
of self-defense to defend our land and Kurdistani society. 
But, at the same time, we cannot allow others to use the 
language of threatening against the Iraqi people or 
Kurdistan's people." End Text. 
CROCKER