IRAQI KURDISH LEADER STRESSES NEED FOR GOOD RELATIONS WITH TURKEY

ANKARA (A.A) - 03.06.2010 - Head of the Kurdish regional administration in Iraq's north on Thursday expressed willingness for cooperation with Turkey to move relations further ahead.
"We know that our future lies in maintaining good relations with Turkey. We have many shared values and things to do together," Massoud Barzani told reporters at a joint press appearance with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in the Turkish capital.
Barzani was visiting Ankara for the first time in six years.  
The Iraqi Kurdish leader said Turkey was a bridge for Iraq's north to open up to the West as much as Iraq was a gateway for Turkey to reach out to the Gulf region.      
Recalling Davutoglu's latest visit to Irbil, Barzani said that it had put relations with Turkey on "a right track."
"And my visit here today in Ankara is a complimentary one to strengthen friendship and brotherhood," Barzani said.
Barzani said he had welcomed Turkish government's "democratic initiative," adding "we are ready to make any kind of cooperation."
"We are saddened by the deaths of young people, no matter they are Turkish or Kurdish. This has to end once and for all. We are in no way in favor of the continuation of violence. We do not separate our security from that of Turkey. We will exert any kind of effort to stop these saddening events," Barzani said in response to a question.
Barzani said they favored a settlement to the issue over Kirkuk in line with the provisions of the Iraqi constitution.
"The way to solve this problem is shown in our constitution and we do seek no other settlement," Barzani said.