Turkey vexed by PKK talks with EU and Iraq

ANKARA, Turkey, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Turkey denounced the reluctance of European Union member states to arrest or extradite members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, as talks with Iraq falter.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said EU states could take a more active role against the PKK, telling a Turkish television program, “No EU country has extradited members of the PKK to Turkey, despite labeling it as a terrorist organization.�

Turkish officials Friday rejected a range of milder proposals from an Iraqi delegation visiting Ankara, the BBC reported Saturday.

The foreign ministry officials called the Iraqi team's proposals "sincere," but said more urgent action was need to avert a Turkish ground attack on the bases of the armed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq.

Erdogan is scheduled to meet with U.S. President George Bush Nov. 5. He hinted that a Turkish ground offensive into northern Iraq would be contingent on that visit.

Turkish military aircraft Friday strafed PKK positions along the border after violence last weekend killed 12 Turkish soldiers and an estimated 23 PKK fighters. Another eight Turkish soldiers remain missing.