"Turkey says world has responsibility to defuse tensions in Iraq
28/02/2006
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on world leaders on Tuesday to help defuse sectarian violence in Iraq, saying the crisis there could spread beyond Iraq.
Erdogan, speaking in parliament hours before a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, also called on Iraqi leaders to avoid provocations and work together to form a broad-based government that would avoid the supremacy of one group over others.
'We want all international actors ... to help the people of Iraq and the government of Iraq,' Erdogan said. 'It is certain that everyone will suffer unless the flames of ethnic tensions that are being provoked are extinguished,' Erdogan said. 'Sparks that are not brought under control in time can rapidly turn into a global problem.'"
More:Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English)