TURKISH PRIME MINISTER COMPARES NAGORNO-KARABAKH WITH SITUATION IN KIRKUK, IRAQ

(Ankara; 1/10/2007)

According to Hurriyet, Prime Minister Recep Erdogan of Turkey made a reference to Nagorno-Karabakh during a speech he gave to his ruling AKP (Justice & Development Party) in Ankara on January 10th.

The Prime Minister, in pointing out that Iraq had become more of a priority for Turkey than the European Union, stated that Turkey would not remain passive to the unfolding situation in the oil-rich region of Kirkuk, which is contested among Kurds, Arabs and its Turkoman minorities.

Erdogan mentioned that, " serious attempts are being made to change the demographics of Kirkuk." Continuing, the Turkish Prime Minister noted that, "The logic that, we did it - so it's a done-deal, which was used in Nagorno-Karabakh, is now being used in Kirkuk."