Turkish fm: "Turkey cannot allow presence of a threat just beyond its borders"

ANKARA (A.A) - October 29, 2011 - Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday that Turkey could not allow presence of a threat just beyond its borders. Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey could not let presence of an organization, posing a clear and direct threat against itself, just beyond its borders. "Everybody should set its stance on the terrorist organization," Davutoglu told a televised interview. Davutoglu said it was not possible to remain neutral in fight against terrorism, and everybody's stance should be clear. Turkish foreign minister said every type of measure that would prevent terrorist organization from taking shelter in north of Iraq would be taken. "Either the regional administration in north of Iraq should prevent terror structuring or it should cooperate with us and we enter and hamper the structuring as it is our right stemming from international law," he said. Davutoglu said Turkey had informed the regional administration in north of Iraq about those three options, and the administration had stated that it supported Turkey's rightful attitude. The minister said Turkey's recent air operation had been effective, and Turkey would increase pressure. Nobody could restrict the scope or timing of Turkey's fight against terrorism as long as the terror threat continued, Davutoglu said. Davutoglu said the state would be responsible for protecting its own citizens both in winter and summer, and night and day. The foreign minister enumerated actors that should not be ignored in countering terrorism as the regional administration in north of Iraq, Iraq's central administration, Middle Eastern countries particularly Iran, freezing logistic sources of terrorism in Europe, and the United States. Moreover, Davutoglu said that Masoud Barzani, the head of the regional administration in north of Iraq, would visit Turkey in coming days. Last week PKK terrorists attacked several targets in Cukurca town of the southeastern province of Hakkari, killing 24 soldiers and wounding 18 others. Immediately after the attack, Turkish military initiated a land operation backed by air forces inside Turkey and in the north of Iraq.