Maliki released a statement in which he reiterated that his government alone set Iraq's foreign policy and that it was based on maintaining good ties with its neighbors.Ankara has expressed anger over the threats from Barzani, president of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, to interfere in the mostly Kurdish populated southeast of Turkey. Turkish leaders have raised the threat of political and economic sanctions against Iraq if it didn't stop the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from staging attacks across the border. On Monday, Turkey handed a protest note to the Iraqi ambassador demanding immediate action against the PKK.
"The foreign policy of Iraq is planned and executed by the Iraqi government," said the statement quoting Maliki. "This policy reflects our intention to maintain best relations with neighbors and does not aim to intervene in their affairs. At the same time we will not allow neighbors to intervene in our affairs."
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has already telephoned his Turkish counterpart to express his regret over Barzani's remarks.
On Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan cautioned that hostility toward his country could result in a "very heavy cost" for Iraqi Kurds in the future. Barzani had "overstepped the line," he warned.
Turkey wants a referendum on Kirkuk's future status, scheduled to be held this year, to be postponed, arguing that thousands of Kurds have been moved into the city in an effort to change its demography.
The ethnically volatile city is also home to Arabs and Turkish-speaking Turkmens, who are backed by Ankara.
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