Northern Iraq - Interview PUK Leader Talabani

(6 Sep 1996) T/I 10:43:04


Speaking from Sulaymaniyah, his remaining stronghold in northern Iraq, Jalal Talabani, leader of the Kurdish rebel faction, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), on Thursday (5/9) accused Massud Barzani, leader of the rival Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) of having a "very strong" relationship with Saddam Hussein.


SHOWS:

NORTHERN IRAQ, 5-6 SEPTEMBER, 1996

PUK banner;
Vs street scenes;
WS Jalal Talabani sitting at his desk at the PUK headquarters;
Talabani SOT "I think Barzani (leader of the KDP) is becoming part of Saddam's regime. He openly sided with Saddam and Saddam sent his troops to support Barzani. He risked US striking him. The relationship between Saddam and Barzani is very strong. They reached all kinds of agreement. I think Barzani is ready to accept the autonomous region (for the Kurds) by Saddam Hussein....
We are not ready to talk to Saddam Hussein. We think he is a
butcher, a dictator. We are struggling to topple, to overthrow him with other Iraqi forces. There is no room in our mind for any kind of compromise with Saddam. The PUK will never negotiate with Saddam...Of course we have relations with Tehran; we have offices in Tehran as we have in Ankara, but there is no Iranian support for us, there is no Iranian presence, no Iranian interference, no Iranian tanks - go and see everywhere...the complication is in Kurdistan and
the main reason is Turkey. Turkey is antagonising the Kurdish Federation
especially after Erbakan's premiership.Turkey is not far from what happened in Arbil. We think that there is a kind of complicity between certain circles in Turkey from Refah (Erbakan's party) and Saddam Hussein. And we think America is afraid of alternatives: who will rule Iraq after Saddam.
Talabani leaving;
Talabani with family in garden;
WS PUK guerillas;
PUK men at checkpoint;
Pan across landscape;

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