ARBIL / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraq's President Jalal Talabani will meet on Monday Head of Kurdistan's al-Taaghier (Change) bloc Nousherwan Mustapha to discuss security problems in the disputed areas, a spokesperson of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said.

 

 

"The president will meet also with Secretary General of Kurdistan Islamic Union Mohammad Farag al-Ameen in a separate meeting," Azad Jendiani said in a statement.

 

 

"Talks will dwell with the recent Iraqi crisis and security developments in the disputed areas," he added.

 

 

The establishment of the federal Tigris Operations Command, which covers disputed territory in northern Iraq, has drawn an angry response from Kurdish leaders who want to incorporate much of the area into their region.

 

 

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki also defended federal troop movements in the north, saying it is the army's right "to be in any part of Iraq".

 

 

And he ruled out the redeployment of US forces to help ease the tensions, saying it is "the responsibility of the Iraqi government and the [Kurdistan] region to work to end their problems without the assistance of a third party".

 

 

US forces played a coordinating role between Kurdish and Arab forces in disputed territory, forming joint patrols and checkpoints comprising US soldiers, Iraqi troops and Kurdish forces.

 

 

But US troops withdrew from Iraq last year, removing a buffer to Arab-Kurd tensions.

 

 

The dispute over territory in northern Iraq is the biggest threat to the country's long-term stability, diplomats and officials say.
Ties between Baghdad and Kurdistan are also marred by disputes over oil and power-sharing.

 

 

SH (TI)/SR