BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu
Jianchao Thursday called on concerned parties to properly handle related issue
through dialogue and consultation, when responding to a question on Turkish
parliament's approval of a motion for cross-border operation into Iraq.
"China has paid attention to the developments of situation in this area,
and we sincerely hope that concerned parties will properly handle the related
issue through dialogue and consultation," said Liu at a regular press
conference.
The Turkish parliament on Wednesday approved by 507 votes to 19a motion
submitted by the government for cross-border military operations in the fight
against the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).
The PKK has increased its attacks on government troops in southeastern
Turkey, which has led to rising Turkish demands for an incursion into northern
Iraq to crush the rebels based there.
The group, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States
and the European Union, launched an armed campaign for an ethnic homeland in the
mainly Kurdish southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking decades of strife that has
claimed more than 30,000 lives.
