Turkey rejects Kurds’ ceasefire

The stepped up diplomatic activity followed Sunday’s rebel ambush near the Iraqi border that left 12 Turkish soldiers dead, 16 wounded and eight missing.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with British leaders in London and warned that Turkey cannot wait forever for the Iraqi Government to act against the rebels in the north.

Britain has backed the United States in trying to keep Turkey from crossing into Iraq to attack Kurdish rebels based there.

“We also don’t wish our historical and friendly ties with Iraq to be ruined because of a terrorist organisation,” Babacan said at a joint news conference after meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, himself a Kurd. “On the other hand, we are expecting support from international community and our neighbours in struggle against terrorism.”

He rejected any offer of a cease-fire by the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Cease-fires are “possible between states and regular forces,” Babacan said. “The problem here is that we’re dealing with a terrorist organization.”